The Ladybug Effect
by ForNevermore
Summary: A tiny butterfly flapping its wings can create a hurricane on the other side of the world. Ladybug and Chat Noir wake up in a prison with no recollection of how they got there. A mysterious blonde woman says that she's going to help them, but what are her true intentions? All Ladybug and Chat Noir know, is that they are now facing an enemy far worse than Hawkmoth. Ladynoir.
1. The Ladybug Effect

The Ladybug Effect

 **Hello MLB fandom! My name is Rosalia, and welcome to my first fanfiction. I don't own this show, and I might raise the rating later for swearing.**

 **Synopsis: A tiny butterfly flapping it's wings can create a hurricane on the other side of the world. Ladybug and Chat Noir wake up in a prison with no recollection of how they got there. A mysterious blond woman says that she's going to help them, but what are her true intentions? All Ladybug and Chat Noir know, is that they are now facing an enemy far worse than Hawkmoth.**

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Head throbbing, heart pounding, breathing heavily. She was alive. Sweat dripped down her forehead, vision blurry, pain shooting through every limb in her body. She was awake. The ground was hard and cold, she shivered as the frigid air found her body, enveloping her in a frozen hug. With all of her might, she lifted her head up off of the cold, dirty, floor, every part of her body ached and begged her to stop. Her vision was still cloudy, but she could just make out her surroundings. She was lying on stones, very uncomfortable stones, the only light came from a tiny window, leaving everything else in the shadows. Even with the absence of light and fuzzy perception, she could see what was in front of her clear as day. Bars.

She immediately shot up, her many injuries still tormenting her body. She took a deep breath, she had to calm down. She slowly picked herself up, using the wall as support. She took a few hesitant steps forward, agonizing pain coursing through her with every step that she took. Both of her legs were banged up pretty badly, if it weren't for her current situation she would have relaxed and let them heal a little bit before attempting to walk. She reached the bars, holding the cool metal in her hands. She shook the barricade, rattling the cage that kept her in, willing the walls to break. Her legs almost immediately gave out underneath her, sending the young girl tumbling to the ground. The jagged rocks beneath her feet cut into her skin, but her body was now numb, she didn't feel any pain anymore. Her breath hitched in her throat, her entire body violently shook, she shut her eyes tightly, willing this to just be a nightmare. She wanted so badly to scream, to cry.

"You awake?" She heard a familiar voice call to her.

She looked around frantically for the owner of the voice, she thought that she was alone. She couldn't see him, but she was overjoyed just knowing that he was there. A large smile broke out across her face, she tilted her head back slightly and lightly chuckled. He was with her, they were both alright, even if they were both in cells.

"Chat." She finally spoke, his name came out breathy as if it were a dream.

"At your service, M'Lady." His cheery voice rang out, it bounced along the stone walls, echoing in her ears. She rolled her eyes.

"Now's not the time for that," She told him, half-scolding and half-laughing. "Get us out of here."

"I can't." His voice came with a twinge of pain, he sounded heartbroken.

"Why not?" She grew worried.

"They took my ring." He sounded so sad, and she didn't blame him. A miraculous is like part of the owner's soul, they are a part of them.

Wait. if Chat didn't have his miraculous. Then that meant…

She quickly put her hand to her ear and her heart immediately broke. No. Tikki. She was gone, the tiny red sprite that loved all things sweet was gone, stolen from her. Without Tikki she couldn't be Ladybug anymore, she wouldn't have anyone to talk to or give her advice. She felt like a large part of her was gone, like someone had taken a knife and cut out a piece of her heart. The young girl felt hot tears pool in her crystal blue eyes and slowly fall down her cheeks, she was too hurt to wipe them away. She hung her head and hugged her knees to her chest, not knowing what to do anymore.

"Ladybug?" His voice sounded calmer now, more comforting. "Are you alright?"

"No!" She screamed, all of the built up rage inside of her coming to a catharsis.

She was sad and angry, her fury made her blood boil and course through her veins. Her body began to shake again, her face turned crimson, she clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles turned white. She was overwhelmed by everything that was happening. Whoever took her had stripped her of her identity, her secret, they had no right to- Wait.

"Did you see me?" She asked, venom stinging her words.

She knew that he wanted to know the real her. The one behind the mask. But she liked their friendship, if he knew who she was then he might not like her. Or at least he would not like her in the same way. It wasn't like she had never considered eventually telling him who she was, but she at least wanted her reveal to be on her own terms. She knew that he was in love with Ladybug, and why wouldn't he be? She was confident and fearless, she was intelligent and perfect. He would just be disappointed if he found out. Ladybug wasn't the same person that Marinette was, even if they were.

"No," He replied flatly. "I was unconscious."

She let out a breath she hadn't realized that she was holding. Their real identities were still secret, at least to them. Now all she had to worry about was the person who had captured her, and about getting her miraculous back. She had no doubt that it was someone that had been akumatized by Hawk Moth, which meant that the world was in trouble. Hawk Moth getting one miraculous meant that he would be unstoppable, with two he could take over the entire universe. They had to get out of there, out of that cage.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw an arm stretching out of the cage next to her's, it was Chat.

"I'm here for you." Chat told her comfortably.

She smiled and reached out, she could just barely touch the tips of his fingers. She smiled again, extremely happy that she was no longer alone. Her fingers grazed his ever so slightly, Chat wished that his arm were just a little longer so that he could hold her hand. He could keep trying to reach her, but he might strain his arm more than he already had. He longed for her touch, for any human contact at all. He wasn't entirely sure whether it was for her security or his. He didn't want to admit it, but he was scared and she brought him comfort. He loved her more than anything else in the world, and she only thought of him as the annoying friend that flirts with her. He knew that they may never get passed that friend stage, but that didn't stop him from trying, and failing.

She retracted her arm, and he was alone in his cell again. The young blonde boy rested his head against the frozen brick wall, his arm slowly retreating back into his own cage. He touched his face, the absence of a black leather mask made him feel bare. The absence of his miraculous made him feel lost. His heart ached and he pulled his knees in towards his chest. He knew the pain of being alone, he had spent many days by himself in a large empty manor while his father was off doing who knew what. This was normal, he was alone, there was no one except the girl in the cell next to him. Only a wall separated them, but it felt more like an ocean.

The two of them sat in silence for a while. Everything was completely still. There were no footsteps, no voices, nothing. Just an eery stillness hanging in the air. Noise should never scare anyone. Noise was confirmation that the world was alive, that everything would be okay. Nothing good ever happened when the world was quiet. Silence meant that there was nothing and no one. And it terrified both of the teenagers.

"Chat?" She called out, her voice was small and weak. His ears perked up at the sound of her voice, listening as if it were a beautiful melody. "Do you remember what happened?"

The young boy thought about the events of the day. Everything came in a blurry haze, as if it had all been a dream. They had been fighting something, or someone. It had been their most powerful and dangerous enemy yet. He didn't remember much, everything was pretty fuzzy, but all that he saw was their defeat. All those years of freeing akumatized victims, all of that training, and they had been defeated. Hawk Moth stepped up his game, and they weren't ready.

Although something tingled in the back of his mind. A faint part of the memory that hadn't been touched. Something clear in an otherwise blurred world.

The person that they were fighting was different. They didn't look like an akumatized victim, nor did they have the same powers.

"I-" Chat started, but he never got the chance to finish.

A loud swooshing sound came from the end of the hallway, both teens glanced over and noticed a heavy door made out of steel, wide open. Light from a separate hallway flooded into the dungeon, forcing both teenagers to shield their eyes. A tall silhouette stood in the doorway, poised and regal. The figure approached the two caged crime fighters. Upon closer inspection the figure was female, her high heels made a loud clacking noise on the stone floor. She was blonde, her hair falling to her shoulders, and she wore all black. The woman stopped in between the two cages, carefully observing each of them individually.

Ladybug stared up at the woman, keeping up her usual calm exterior when around villians. She never showed fear, never showed weakness. She had almost forgotten that she wasn't wearing the mask. Even without the mask, in that moment she was not Marinette, she was Ladybug.

"Animals," The woman finally spoke, her voice slow and cruel. "They all belong in cages."

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 **I hope that you enjoyed this first chapter, sorry that it's short, next one will be longer. Sorry if the point of view is a little bit confusing, I don't really like writing from one person's point of view and prefer third person.**

 **I hope to see you in the next chapter!**


	2. Butterfly

Butterfly

 **Here is the new chapter! I don't own this show, I just write about it for fun.**

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The woman leaned against the bars of Ladybug's cell. She could just make out the woman's brilliant jade green eyes. The black dress and matching black jacket she adorned made a perfect camouflage, she blended into the shadows as if she herself were the darkness. She glared at Ladybug and smiled smugly, taking in the superhero's true form. Even though she was Marinette in that moment, Ladybug's strong and confident exterior never faltered, despite feeling small and terrified on the inside. This woman had stripped her and Chat Noire of their identities, but that didn't mean that they weren't still heroes.

"Good to see that you're both awake," The woman remarked, as if completely disinterested. "You've both been asleep for two days."

"Two days?" Both teens asked in unison.

They had been lying in these cells for two days before they had woken up? Two days in a dark creepy prison, two days since their last fight, two days since freedom. What had become of Paris's famous crime stoppers? Kidnapped by a woman who was going to do who knew what to them. Ladybug's eyes scaled the woman's body, looking for any sign of where her akuma might be, but saw nothing.

"Yes, two days." The woman confirmed.

She had a bag slung over her shoulder. A large black bag with two front pockets. The bag looked full, but not heavy as the woman showed no sign of struggle. She set the bag on the floor and began to rummage through it, the contents making a rustling sound as they were jostled about. Chat Noir stared at the woman's hands anxiously, in fear that she might pull out a gun and shoot both of them. Or worse, just Ladybug. That was Chat's greatest fear, not being able to protect her. He knew that she was perfectly capable of doing things on her own, she had even saved his life quite a lot. But he still had this urge to protect her, he never wanted her to feel any pain, not ever. He guessed that that was what it meant to love someone, thinking about them before thinking about yourself.

The woman finally pulled out two sets of black jumpsuits from her bag and tossed them into the appropriate cages.

"I assume that you want fresh clothes after being stuck in these cells for two days." She stated, her expression still completely blank.

Ladybug picked up her jumper and examined the garment carefully. It was just a plain black jumper in a rather comfortable material, it felt like cotton. There were buttons down the front and a waistband that would have to be adjusted for her, as the garb was at least a size too large. She then looked down at her everyday clothes, which were dirty, disheveled, and reeked of sweat. As grateful as she was that her captor was considerate, she was suspicious of the woman's motives. She exposed them, she took their powers. That was an accomplishment, but why hadn't she just killed them?

Because she needs you. A tiny voice at the back of Ladybug's head screamed as she began to put the pieces together.

"You'd better get some rest tonight," The woman advised. "You both have busy days tomorrow."

Both teens stared at the woman curiously, heads tilted, brows furrowed. But the woman just picked her bag up off of the ground and began to sauter out, but then she stopped.

"Oh," She gasped, turning to face the young heroes again. "I nearly forgot about these."

She reached her hand into one of the two front pockets of her bag and pulled out two metallic looking objects. The woman examined each of the objects for a moment, and tossed one into each cell. Chat Noir caught his item first, turning it over in his palm. It was plastic and flimsy, if he tried to bend it then it would break in his hand. It was a shiny metallic silver colour in the shape of a peanut, with two eye holes, and a feeble string made out of some stretchy material. It was a mask. A cheap one, probably from a dollar store, but still a mask.

"I understand that you want your identities to stay secret," The woman informed them, the corners of her mouth turning up ever so slightly. "Even from one another."

Ladybug's eyes widened, she looked up from the gold piece of plastic in her hand, eyes wide with shock and confusion. Had their identities not been revealed? They had to be. Why else would she want to take their miraculouses? But then why would she give them masks and clothes? They were prisoners, but she wasn't treating them like prisoners. Ladybug opened her mouth to ask a question, but the woman was already walking away. The sound of her heels loudly clacking on the stones as she reached the doorway. She turned and looked at the teens one last time, specifically at Chat Noir. A grave, almost disappointed look crossed her face and a small dejected sigh escaped from her lips. The woman left the room, closing the big heavy door behind her. The room was dark and silent once again, especially now that the light from the hallway was gone. Ladybug looked back down at the mask in her hand, slowly twisting the cheap material in her palm. She pulled the string over her head and placed the gold mask in front of her face. She felt safer this way, more secure and confident.

"Ladybug?" Chat called, still staring down at the plastic mask in his hand. "Did you see an akuma on that woman?"

"No, I didn't." She replied, lying on her back with a hand behind her head.

"So she wasn't…" His voiced trailed off, shaking ever so slightly.

"No," Ladybug confirmed. "A non-akumatized victim kidnapped us and put us both in these cells."

"Two days," He thought out loud. "I wonder if Paris has noticed yet."

"My parents." Ladybug gasped, surely they had noticed that she was missing by now.

And Alya, sweet Alya was probably worried sick about her. The police might be out looking for a girl who was locked in a cage god knows where. Her parents might have closed the bakery to look for her, or mourn her loss. What if people noticed that she and Ladybug had gone missing at the exact same time, what if they had already put two and two together? And then there was Adrien. She smiled just thinking about him. They were friends now, and maybe something else too. Or maybe it was just her imagination. She wondered if he was worried about her too.

"You'll see them again." Chat Noir reassured her.

She took a breath, he was right. Her parents, and Alya, and Adrien. She would be with them again soon, she just needed to come up with a plan.

"What about you?" She asked timidly, realizing that she had never asked Chat about his parents.

"My father wouldn't even notice that I was missing." Chat remarked sadly.

"And your mom?" Ladybug questioned before she could stop herself, forgetting for a moment that it might be a touchy subject.

"I never knew her." He mumbled, suddenly feeling tired.

He kept looking at the mask in his hand, staring into the empty eye sockets, wondering what his next move should be. He could wear the mask, keep his identity hidden from whoever was holding him here and his Ladybug. Or he could be captive here as Adrien, no more secrets, no more masks. He would still be Chat Noir, but a different version of him.

"Hey, are we actually going to wear these things?" He wondered aloud.

"Already wearing mine." Ladybug answered, lifting her hand to feel the plastic covering her face.

He nodded, as if she could even see him nodding. He covered his face with a mask once again, hiding his identity from the world. He didn't feel sad to be keeping his identity a secret. It was probably stupid that he even thought that he could be Adrien here. There were too many risks. If the wrong people knew who Chat Noir was then it would put his friends in danger. He could never live with himself if anyone had gotten captured because he was reckless.

"I guess the cat isn't out of the bag then." Chat joked, trying his best to lighten the mood.

Ladybug rolled her eyes, she wanted to yell at him, tell him that this wasn't the time to be foolish, but he had a point. Whoever this woman was she wanted to keep their identities a secret. But neither teen could fathom why. She had kidnapped them, taken their miraculouses, left them in dingy cells to starve. She wouldn't have wasted any time destroying the two teenagers, who were both completely vulnerable. She wouldn't have cared about keeping their identities secret. Unless…

Ladybug whispered, her voice barely audible, but Chat still heard.

"They need us."

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 **I didn't have a lot to do this weekend, so here's another chapter, I hope that you enjoyed it. I'll try to make the next one even better. It should be up in a few days.**

 **See you next time!**


	3. Wings

Wings

 **I don't own MLB, I just wrote a story about it.**

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The night was dark and silent. There were no footsteps coming down the hallway, there were no voices to break the quiet, no lights to guide one. In the city there was always noise. Sometimes Marinette liked to stay up late and watch the world, occasionally scribbling something in her sketchbook. She would sit on her balcony, the cool parisian air kissing her face, and she would watch the people down below. Their laughter would travel up to her balcony, the cheerful melody that rivaled that of a symphony. There was always music playing somewhere, more often than not violins or something else belonging to the string family. Everything from the streets to the buildings were lit up and the entire city sparkled as if it were filled with a million stars. It made her sad to think about how she wasn't there now, to sit on that balcony, and hear the laughter, and see the lights. Instead she was somewhere dark and cold, somewhere unfamiliar and dreary, and that terrified her.

She couldn't sleep. She lay on the cold ground, which was extremely uncomfortable, and stared at nothing in particular. She couldn't see the ceiling, or anything around her. She could be floating in an endless abyss and she would never know. The endless black seemed to stretch for miles, blanketing her in the shadows. At least she couldn't tell how small her cage was in the dark, it made her feel better, less confined. She tried to close her eyes, let her mind drift back to her balcony at home in the heart of the city. She slowed her breathing, finding peace in the silence of her cell. Every muscle in her body relaxed and she felt herself beginning to slip out of consciousness. The little sleep that she got was dreamless, just hovering above nothing in particular. No images of home, her family, or her friends, nothing.

When she woke again the first beams of morning light were beginning to stream through the tiny window in Marinette's cell. Her casement was dimly lit now, she could see that there were still bars in front of her, and that she was still alone. She sat up, her back sending out a sharp pain along her spine as she did. She carefully massaged the area, then she stretched in order to get the cramp to subside. She finger-combed through her black hair, which was greasy and knotted due to not washing in two days. She could only imagine how bad her breath smelled. Maybe she should ask the woman who had given her clothes for deodorant and a toothbrush, she definitely needed it. She looked over at the black jumpsuit that the mysterious woman had given her yesterday, folded up neatly beside her. She glanced down at her everyday clothes again, they were still dirty and in desperate need of a wash. She made the choice to abandoned her civilian clothes in favour of the black jumper. It didn't do much for her at all, it was too big and baggy on her, and didn't give her any shape whatsoever. But the jumper smelled fresh, just out of the laundry machine, and that was better than smelling like an old sock.

She sat alone in the silence for a long time, slowly more light began to overflow into her cell. She watched the golden rays dance and play as the dawn promised a better day. She thought about Alya, who would be waking up for school about now. It made Marinette sad to think that her best friend would be walking down the streets of Paris alone. No one would be sitting next to her in the classroom this morning. She probably wouldn't pay attention in class, and she would also put her Ladyblog on hold, she would stop everything for the sake of her best friend. Goodness how much did she wish that she were with Alya right now, sitting in front of Adrien in their classroom. She would stare at the back of his head and Alya would nudge her, begging her to talk to him. Marinette gave in sometimes, it was slightly easier to talk to Adrien now that they were friends. She still became a pile of mush around him sometimes, which didn't really help her in trying to get him to see her as more than just a friend.

A sudden knock on the wall connecting her and Chat's cells snapped her out of her thoughts. She smiled, a tiny snort escaping from her lips. He was such a dork sometimes.

"I'm awake." She confirmed, stifling a laugh.

"Just making sure." He replied, she could practically hear the smile on his face.

The air became still and silent between the two of them once again. He wanted to talk to her, he wanted them to figure a way out of this, just like they always did. But how? He knew that the lady who took them, whoever she was, would be back soon. She had said that they had a busy day planned. Despite his better judgement, his mind wandered to all of the things that might happen to him and Ladybug today. They could be getting tortured, or worse. He shuddered at the thought. He was determined to make sure that nothing happened to her.

Soon he couldn't take the silence any longer.

"Anything on your mind?" He asked.

"My friends," She replied. "They're probably at school by now."

"I'm sure that they miss you." He empathized.

Adrien wondered what his friends were doing. They were probably in school by now too. He thought of Nino, listening to whatever song was number one on the radio that week. Nino was probably the person who was most worried about his disappearance. Sure, most of the class would worry for him, Chloe would surely be trying to turn his name into a hashtag on social media and would no doubt be using his disappearance as a desperate attempt for attention. He really disliked that girl. And then there was Marinette, the sweet and shy girl who sat behind him in class. She was a little bit clumsy and awkward, but she was a good person and he valued her friendship. If he weren't still pining over Ladybug, whom still rejected his advances, he might even consider her as more than just a friend.

"I'm sure that yours do too." Ladybug replied, her voice sounded so hopeful.

He liked when they talked like this, it felt like they were more than just two superpowered teenagers, but actual human beings. He was interested in her life and he wanted to know more about her. It made him feel closer to her, like they were connected. Plus, talking to her made him forget about the fact that he was locked in a dark cell at the mercy of a potentially deadly threat. But they also had to talk about said deadly threat if they were going to defeat it. There would be time for bonding later.

"Any ideas on how to get out of this?" He inquired.

"We need to find Tikki and Plagg first," She stated, the tone of her voice gaining the confidence that only Ladybug had. "We need to lookout for them today."

"So, we're going to go along with whatever they're making us do?" He questioned.

"I'm afraid that we'll have to if we ever want to get out of here." She confirmed.

He knew that she was right, there was nothing that either of them could do. His mind drifted back to the woman who visited them yesterday. Her golden blonde hair and bright green eyes, the cold tone of her voice. She seemed so familiar, yet so distant. And yet, Adrien felt like he might have known her.

The sound of the heavy door opening caused both of the teens to shut their mouths. The familiar clacking of heels on the stone floor was now accompanied by the sound of heavy military boots. The woman from the previous night came into view, she was wearing a different dress today, but the same black jacket that merged with the shadows. Four large men walked in uniform behind her, wearing military jackets and carrying weapons. Two men stood in front of each cage, waiting to be given instructions.

"I hope that you two slept well." The woman's voice rang out, she sounded unimpressed and disinterested. "Up, on your feet both of you. This will be easy if you do exactly what you're told."

The two teenagers reluctantly obeyed the blonde woman's orders, suddenly very unsure of their plan to fake surrender. The woman eyed Adrien, even with the silly dollar store mask on his face she knew exactly who he was. If she was being honest she shouldn't have been surprised that it was him, considering who his father was. Adrien noticed the woman watching him, he gave her a curious look. The longer he stared, the more odd this woman looked to him. Not bad odd, but not good odd either. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, something was just off.

One of the guards pulled out a key and opened the cells, the other guards grabbing hold of the teenagers. Their grips were tight so that neither hero could wiggle out of them. The men pulled them out of their cells and into the hallway. And for the first time in two days the two superheroes made eye contact. Both were dressed in the black jumpsuits that the woman had given them, and they both had tacky masks covering their faces. Adrien couldn't help but smile at her, his Ladybug. Her blue eyes never lost their dazzle and even though she hadn't washed it in two days her hair still looked nice, perfectly framing her beautiful face. He wanted to break out of the guard's grasp and hug her, but looking at the size of the gun in the man's holster made him decide otherwise.

"Where are we going?" Ladybug demanded, her voice boomed and echoed as the guards led the two teenagers through the white cinderblock hallways of the building.

"You'll see." The woman replied, her heels still making that annoying clicking noise on the tile.

The group continued down a series of maze-like hallways. Passing guards, who saluted to the woman as they passed. There were a lot of doors in these hallways, most of them with 'authorized personnel only' signs hanging on them, both teens began to wonder what was behind those doors. There were no windows, only bright fluorescent lights that burned one's eyes if they looked for too long. The building seemed like a prison, perhaps it was, that would explain the cells. The guards and the woman led the two teenagers up a flight of stairs to a different section of the building. There were even more guards on this floor, plus a large group of people wearing white lab coats. They were scientists. The teens were guided towards two large double doors, which automatically swung open for them.

Somehow it was even brighter in this room than it had been in the hallway. The incandescent lights stretched across the entire ceiling, there were no shadows in that room. Everything was white in that room, from the tile floors and plastered walls to the plastic chairs and desks in the corner. In the centre of the room sat a weird contraption. It had two seats, facing each other, a helmet-like thing to go over one's head, and a bunch of miscellaneous wires attached to a computer, which was attached to something else. A small glass thing, resembling a fish bowl, with something glowing inside, two somethings. Something red and something black.

Ladybug's eyes widened.

"Tikki!" She screamed, trying her best to free herself from the guard's grip and see her miraculous.

The guard held her tighter, sending a shockwave of pain through her arm.

"Let her go." The woman stated flatly.

The guard released his grip on Ladybug, who dashed over to the small tank. She looked down at the tiny red and black sprite, who looked apathetic and lethargic. But Tikki still looked up at the human girl with a weak smile, as if to tell her that everything was okay. The guard hold Chat Noir also released his grip, allowing the boy to join his partner at the tank. He pressed one of his hands against the glass, which was oddly warm, as if it were something more than just a cage.

"They are a generator." The woman explained, her voice soft and flat.

"You're draining their powers?" Chat Noir questioned, sounding even more angry than he already was.

"They can't run out." The woman told him as if it were obvious. "The twins have been around for thousands of years, they are all powerful."

"They're twins?" Ladybug and Chat Noir asked in unison, eyes wide with surprise.

The woman rolled her eyes as if the two of them were the most incompetent heroes that she had ever seen.

"You've had these miraculouses for what? Three years?" The woman groaned. "Where was I? Oh right, they are being used as a generator to power that machine."

She pointed at the contraption in the corner, which a bunch of people in lab coats were currently buzzing around. One of them was typing something on the computer, Ladybug could only make out four numbers. One nine one two. What did that mean?

"I take it that we're going to be sitting in those chairs today?" Ladybug inquired, sounding completely nonchalant, even though she was completely terrified.

"That is correct." The woman almost sounded impressed, almost.

Two people in lab coats grabbed Ladybug and Chat Noir and ushered them into the appropriate seat. Once sitting, something fastened around their arms and legs, rendering them immobile. The two teens struggled for a moment as the group of scientists began hooking up random wires and pressing buttons that did who knew what.

"Why are you doing this?" Ladybug asked, trying her best to keep up her bravery, just a little bit longer. "Are you going to kill us?"

"On the contrary," The woman replied, her voice suddenly shifting from flat to lively. "We're saving you."

The machine began to heat up, the engine beeped and whirred, the scientists lowered the helmets onto the teenagers heads.

"From what?" Ladybug wanted to scream.

Suddenly they both felt hot, temperatures rising, filling them up as if both of them were about to explode. Painful waves hit their bodies, coursing through their veins. They shook and shuddered with every painful blast, the restraints holding them in place as they writhed in pain. Their screams would haunt one another for a long time. Suddenly the pain became dull, they both felt light, as if they were leaving their bodies. Vision became cloudy, eyelids became heavy.

"From yourselves."

That was the last thing that either of them heard before the world went black.

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 **This one is longer than the last two, yay!**

 **I really like the idea of Tikki and Plagg being twins because, being a twin myself, the connection between twins is stronger than anything else in the world. I'm closer with my brother than I am with my sisters, sometimes we can read each other's minds. I know that some people ship them, and I'm sorry but I just don't like that pairing.**

 **Now we're getting into some more plot heavy stuff. What does this mysterious machine do? What is going to become of our heroes?**

 **Stay tuned to find out!**


	4. Hurricane

Hurricane

 **Oh look, it's Valentine's Day... I don't have anyone to spend it with so I'm just writing. I don't own MLB, I just wrote a fanfiction about it.**

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When they opened their eyes they were standing in a hallway. The walls were plastered in dark red wallpaper and the floor was hardwood with a stainless white carpet running down the middle. Fancy-looking lights hung above their heads, but the bulbs were dull and didn't give the hall much light. The ground swayed violently beneath their feet as the struggled to regain balance. The swaying continued, and only got worse the longer they stood. They could hear music, a sweet sounding orchestra playing something that neither of them recognized, coming from behind a pair of large wooden doors.

Ladybug took a moment to observe everything in the vicinity. Just seconds ago she was in a lab somewhere, hooked up to a cold and unfeeling machine, and now she was at what looked like a party. The venue looked like one of those big fancy halls that her parents would cater for in Paris. Then she looked over at Chat and sucked in a sharp breath. He looked different. He wasn't wearing his black jumpsuit anymore. Instead he was wearing black dress pants, a white dress shirt, a long black tail coat, and a black bow tie. He wore white gloves on his hands, leather shoes on his feet, and the silver mask still covering his face. She tried not to laugh, he looked ridiculous. All he needed was a top hat, cane, and monocle.

"You look beautiful." Chat looked as though he were in awe.

She looked at him curiously, and then she looked down at her outfit. The jumpsuit was gone and in its place was a long dusty pink dress made of fine silk, and embroidered with lace. The sleeves were short, the neckline was fairly high, the skirt flowed gracefully like water on her skin. She wore a string of pearls around her neck, the mask still plastered to her face. She looked up at Chat Noir and smiled, then her eyes drifted to the door, the source of the music.

"Shall we?" Chat asked, offering her his arm.

"We should be careful." She replied, linking her arm with his. "This could be a test, or a trick."

Chat nodded in agreement as the two pushed open the double doors, revealing the most lavish and extravagant ballroom that either of them had ever seen. Long wooden tables sat at either side of a large dance floor, colourful flowers decorating the centerpiece of each. A band of string and wind instruments played on a small stage just off to the side of the dance floor, where men and women dressed in silk and satin danced together, laughing about nothing in particular. A bar sat in the corner, a long line of men stood in uniform waiting to get a drink. A grand staircase ran down the middle of the hall, the railing was wroght iron and bore an intricate swirl design. The ceiling was high, a mural of angels was delicately painted around a giant glittering chandelier. The chandelier was gold with thousands of tiny crystals that sparkled and made the entire room emit a luminescent glow.

The more they stood, staring in shock and awe, the more awkward they felt and they more attention they drew. The couples in their fancy garments looking over at the young pair. They were, by far, the youngest people in the room. It seemed awfully odd that two teenagers would attend this party, as they were too young to take part in drinking, and neither were very good at ballroom dancing. Still, Chat turned to Ladybug and offered his hand to her yet again.

"May I have this dance?" He asked, bowing his head as if she were a queen. She didn't understand how he could be so calm in this situation.

"We don't know what is going on." She stated harshly, the boy quickly stood up straight, his eyes going wide. "I think that we should spend less time goofing around and more time figuring out why we're here."

Chat nodded, but he had one more idea.

"We're dressed for this party," He told her. "Which means that we're supposed to be here, something is going to happen, but not just yet. We have a minute for a song."

He offered his hand again. This time Ladybug rolled her eyes and accepted, knowing that he would just keep persisting until she did. Just one minute. Sixty seconds, she would count. One, two. He pulled her closer, one hand on her waist, the other holding her's. Three, four. The two of them were chest to chest, face to face. She could feel his hot breath tickling her skin as he held her closely. Her heart started racing rapidly as they took their first hesitant steps together. Five, six. The warmth flowed through the both of them and made them feel weak in the knees, it was like they were both on fire as they moved harmoniously together. Seven, eight. He spun her, the movement so swift and natural she wondered if he had done this before. Nine, ten. He looked down at her, her blue eyes connecting with his deep green ones. He looked at her so amorously that it made her want to melt into him right then and there. What number was she at? She forgot. He slowly bowed his head, their foreheads touching slightly, their movements becoming so slow that she wondered if they were even moving at all. They two of them closed their eyes, their breathing and the beating of their hearts now perfectly in sync. She never felt anything like this towards him before, it amazed her but it also terrified her. Suddenly, a certain blonde classmate snuck his way into her mind. Adrien. She immediately felt a wave of guilt pass over her. She felt like by dancing with Chat Noir that she was somehow cheating on Adrien. She knew that they were never together, and probably never would be, but she couldn't help but feel this way. She would always love Adrien, she knew that for sure.

Suddenly, a flash of red and black caught her eye, snapping her out of her trance. She stopped dancing suddenly, pulling away from Chat's embrace. He looked in the direction that she was, just in time to see the same red and black flashes that she had. Without pausing, she chased after the mysterious shadow, Chat Noir close behind her. They followed the figures out of the ballroom and up a flight of stairs to some kind of balcony. The sky was completely dark, the cold wind whipped violently at their faces. There didn't seem to be anything beyond the balcony, neither teen could see beyond the railing. There was an odd noise, the sound of water crashing into something, like rocks. Ladybug looked up and saw a funnel with steam coming out of it, attached to a larger compartment at the bow of a ship. They were on a ship. That was nice, she had never been on a ship like this before. It was probably rented out for a wealthy family's party. There was something written on the funnel in big black letters. The lighting on the deck was dim, but she could read the writing clear as day. It made her heart pound heavily in her chest, her breathing suddenly felt shallow.

Titanic.

The writing on the funnel said Titanic. But that wasn't possible. The Titanic sank over one hundred years ago. Then her mind flashed back to the lab, the numbers on the computer, one nine one two. 1912, the year the Titanic sunk. She mentally facepalmed herself for being so stupid, it wasn't some weird code, it was a date. The laboratory had put them on a virtual simulation of the Titanic.

"Titanic." Chat Noir read, his voice sounding panicked. "This ship is about to go down."

"Then it's our job to get everyone off of this ship." Ladybug stated flatly, as if her idea were even possible. She knew that there were not enough lifeboats for everybody on board, that more than half of the people on this boat would drown in the freezing waters.

The flash of red came again, this time it was followed the sound of a door slamming shut. The two heroes followed the noise to the captain's quarters, only to find that no one was there. The captain should have been at the wheel of the ship, steering to New York, but he wasn't. Instead there was only a wheel, spinning lazily with no one to drive in. A terrible ivory smell wafted through the air, they followed the smell to a storage closet, where a mysterious liquid was seeping under the door. Both Ladybug and Chat Noir knew exactly what it was. They opened up the closet, and out fell the body, still freshly dead, the white captain's uniform he was wearing tainted with blood. His abdomen had been cut open, his guts were spilling out.

"Oh God." Both teens gasped, nausea hitting both of them hard, the fact that the boat was still rocking violently didn't help. Luckily there was a bathroom big enough for the two of them in the captain's quarters. Although they hadn't eaten in two days, and their stomachs were empty, they heaved into the toilet bowl. It was the grossest moment of their lives.

Suddenly there was a noise from just outside the door. The sound of voices, two- No three voices. The sounds of fighting, pushing, shouting, stung the ears of the young heroes. The two opened the bathroom door ever so slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on. And there she was, standing tall and regal in her red polka dotted suit. She had brown hair tied into a fashionable updo, her polka-dotted suit had short sleeves instead of long ones, and her mask covered her entire face. Ladybug. But she wasn't the same Ladybug. Next to her was, as always, Chat Noir. A different Chat Noir, this version of him had red hair, slicked back with gel, and he was larger than her Chat was.

"How can there be two of us?" Ladybug whispered.

"I don't know." Chat responded, his face looking grave. "Should we help them?"

"With what power?" She whispered back, giving him the painful reminder that neither of them had a miraculous.

The two heroes could do nothing but watch as the different versions of Ladybug and Chat fought off the akumatized victim. He looked like the first mate of a ship, second in command to the captain. He was probably jealous of the captain in some way, but the reasons why he had been given powers were not important at the moment. They fought well, tried their best to counter every attack that came their way. They managed to capture the akuma that was terrorizing the poor man, defeat the evil inside. They stood there for a moment to revel in their victory, which the two teens watching from the bathroom knew meant that it was already too late. They both wanted to scream at the other Ladybug and Chat Noir to take the wheel, to steer the ship back onto the right course, but they couldn't.

Suddenly the entire ship shifted violently, ripping into everyone as it shook the ground. Ladybug shut her eyes tightly, the blonde boy beside her squeezed her hand tightly. Riding out the shockwave together, they knew exactly what would happen next.

"What was that?" The 1912 Ladybug asked, she had a very posh English accent, but that only made her concern sound elegant.

"I wish I knew." The 1912 Chat replied, his accent was more cockney and he sounded more stubborn.

The 1912 Ladybug and Chat Noir left the captain's quarters in a hurry, cursing quite a lot under their breath. When they were gone the two heroes took that as their cue to leave. They looked out the window, the boat was getting lower in the water ever so slightly. The iceberg had torn through the ship, creating a large crater in the side. The two of them staggered backwards, they had to get out, or they would go down with the ship. However, this was just a simulation conducted by the laboratory, they couldn't actually die. Could they?

Without hesitation, Ladybug grabbed her partner's arm and tugged him out of the captain's quarters and down the nearest flight of stairs. The two of them descended to the lower decks, nearly tripping on the way down.

"Why are we going down?" Chat Noir asked, sounding petrified. "This will flood first."

"If I remember correctly nobody warned the lower levels that the ship was sinking until it was too late." Ladybug explained, sounding like she was nearly out of breath. "They saved the rich first, we have to make sure they have a chance."

The two of them continued to the bottom level, water was already beginning to trickle onto the floor, immediately getting absorbed by the hideous green carpet, but that wouldn't last forever. Ladybug began banging on random doors, screaming, trying to wake up everyone on the floor. Chat Noir did the same. She remembered that this floor was mainly group dormitory, large groups of poor people who couldn't afford their own room sharing what was basically a closet.

"Whaddaya want?" A drunk man's cockney accent rang through the hallway. He sounded angry and annoyed, dressed in only an old ratted tee shirt and his underwear. He reeked of alcohol and cigarettes.

"The ship is sinking!" Chat exclaimed, waving frantically at the man and all of the people rooming with him to show the urgency of the situation. Some of them gasped and began to panic, some of the drunken guests had no expression at all. "We have to get everyone up to the top deck and fast."

The panicked guests mumbled something bitterly before a woman carrying a small child stepped forward.

"Where ya goin' Eliza?" The drunken man asked the young woman.

Marinette studied the woman, she looked only a few years older than her, she had a wedding band around her finger, under her thin night dress she was heavily pregnant, and the child in her arms looked about two years old.

"I don't know about you Willfred," She snapped. "But I don't want our son dying here."

"Why you little-" The man raised his arm as if he were about to strike her, but Ladybug intervened, the man stumbled forward. "You women need to learn to respect a man."

"I am so glad that I don't live in this century." She whispered to Chat. She then turned to Eliza, whose small child was now sobbing as the water began rising. "Take him and any other children on this floor to the top deck and get on a lifeboat, understand?"

Eliza nodded, gathering three other children, two boys and a girl, and ushering them up the flights of stairs. As the water rose the teens ascended up the many flights, taking as many people as they could to the top of the deck. Some people, mostly parents, refused a seat so that their children could survive. One parent bargained with a worker to have his handicapped son get on a lifeboat, to which they were both sadly rejected. The old and sick weren't given spots on lifeboats, only the young, anyone who had a better chance of survival. The heroes gathered as many people as they could onto those lifeboats, mostly people under the age of twenty. There were still so many people on board, and not enough space for everyone. The chaos that ensued was horrific, people were pushing and shoving one another, trying to get spots on the lifeboats. Finally, there was only one left.

"Last one." One of the uniformed workers said. "You coming?"

Chat Noir stepped forward, but something stopped him from climbing the rail into the lifeboat, some kind of invisible wall. Ladybug tried, but she felt the same invisible wall preventing her from getting on the lifeboat. They couldn't leave, they were never meant to leave that ship, they were never meant to survive.

"We can't," Chat informed the sailor. "Give our seats to someone who needs them."

The sailor nodded and saluted their nobility. Chat nodded at the sailor graciously before taking off, Ladybug close behind him. They pushed through crowds of people, fighting and screaming, some of them jumping ship, falling to their deaths. That sound of people screaming in anguish was just a reminder that no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't save everyone. They ran back to the captain's quarters, which was about to be overtaken by water. When they heard voices inside. They peeked into the room, and saw the 1912 Ladybug and Chat Noir, sitting on the ground, which was already starting to flood.

"We could have stopped this." The 1912 Ladybug choked out, her elegant voice sounded broken and miserable.

"We tried our best." The 1912 Chat Noir replied, his voice sounding just as choked. He and his Ladybug were holding onto each other tightly, as if they would never drown as long as they were together.

Their position suddenly shifted to something more passionate and intimate, something more private. The two heroes stopped watching at that moment, they didn't want to see, nor know, what was about to happen in that room. They felt the ship shake once again, slowly breaking in half. Before the two teens knew it, they had taken the same position as the 1912 Ladybug and Chat. Holding onto each other as the water slowly overtook them. Too frightened to let go, their hearts were racing, their breathing became heavy, a million thoughts raced through their head. The water was freezing, soaking through the precious silk linens and making both of them shiver uncontrollably. They held on tighter, trying to use the other's body heat to stay warm. Suddenly, the water was at their necks. They instinctively took one last breath, even if doing so would only make the experience more painful. The both of them were scared, but they found comfort in knowing that they wouldn't be dying alone.

Suddenly there was a bright white flash of light, and Marinette jolted awake. Eyes wide, gasping for air, she looked over at Chat Noir, who was doing the same. The two of them looked around to see that, to their relief, they were back in the laboratory. The blonde woman was still standing over them, a smug look on her face. She patted the two of them on the head, and whispered quietly.

"Well done you two."

* * *

 **This ended up being nearly six pages long... Well this was fun to write.**

 **To make things less confusing I wrote the year beside the Chat Noir and Ladybug from 1912.**

 **I decided to give 1912 Ladybug and Chat Noir names but I didn't end up using them, they are Margaret Beaumont and Charles Warren, both 19. I like to think that Margaret came from a wealthier family, one that valued education, even for women. Even though women couldn't get degrees at Oxford at the time she was planning on going because she was highly intelligent and had the money for it. She and Charles didn't know each other in normal life before revealing themselves to one another because social classes kept them separated, but they still fell hard for one another nonetheless.**

 **Keep on reading!**


	5. Vortex

Vortex

 **This is late, blame Gravity Falls because it ended and I was sad. I still don't own this show, I just wrote a story for it.**

* * *

When the lab assistants released the restraints from the two teenagers they immediately grabbed one another, hugging each other tightly, like they had on the sinking ship. No one stopped them, as if they had known what the two of them had just been through. They stayed that way for a few minutes, still shaken up from the near-drowning experience. His arms were around her waist, like they had been when they danced, but this time they were more eager and protective. Her cheek was pressed against his chest, she could feel his heart pounding quickly against her skin. A familiar warmth flowed through the both of them, a sense of security and comfort. Neither of them had ever been so scared in their lives. For one terrifying moment, they thought that they would lose each other, and they would do anything to make sure that they never felt that way again. Ladybug felt a single tear escape her eye, just one, the fabric of Chat's jumpsuit immediately absorbing it.

"I thought that I lost you." Chat whispered into her ear, as if it were a secret. His eyes were shut tightly, holding back tears himself.

Their moment was broken when the blonde woman forcefully pushed them apart. The two of them looking fairly disappointed. The woman looked between the two of them, a deadpan look crossing her face. She adjusted the sleeves of the jacket that she seemingly never took off, tugging on the cuffs.

"Did you really think that we would let you drown?" She asked as if the two teenagers were stupid.

Ladybug should have known that they would be tortured, although placing them in the middle of one of the most traumatizing events in human history was a cruel and unusual punishment. Surely there were other ways of torture that would be just as effective as drowning on the Titanic. They almost drowned, they had been petrified with fear, her heart was still racing.

"What the hell was that?" Ladybug screamed lividly, lunging towards the woman, Chat had to hold her back.

"Calm yourself," The woman stated, putting up a perfectly manicured hand. "Come, I will show you."

The woman lead them over to the casement that held Tikki and Plagg, the two kwamis were passed out, their tiny chests rising and falling as they drew breath. They looked peaceful, but the two young heroes knew that something was wrong.

"They hold the memories of a thousand lifetimes." The woman explained, putting one hand on the cage in wonder. "We found that we could use their memories to send the two of you backwards in time."

Neither Ladybug nor Chat could fathom what the woman was saying. They had started to suspect that their experience was more than just a simulation. The fact that there was another Ladybug and Chat Noir was a dead giveaway. Then there was the drowning, which just felt too real. They had felt the water rising, covering their entire bodies, slowly choking them. But time travel? There was no such thing. Time travel was for British television shows and eighties movies, it was completely impossible in real life. But if it was, that meant that they had been on the real Titanic, they had really saved people that night, they had seen a previous version of Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"You should consider yourselves lucky." The woman remarked. "First people in known history to time travel."

"Time travel." The teens repeated in unison, eyes wide in disbelief.

"So that Ladybug and Chat Noir we saw…" Ladybug thought out loud, staring at her feet. "They owned our miraculouses one hundred years ago."

She looked back down at the red kwami resting in her casement. She didn't talk about past Ladybugs very much, probably because Marinette never really asked. She could only imagine how many Ladybugs that Tikki had grown close to, only to watch them die. She thought back to the Ladybug on the ship. The Ladybug with light brown hair and hazel eyes, the one with the posh English accent. The one who died on the ship she was trying her best to save. That Ladybug and Chat Noir didn't look older than nineteen. That was far too young to die. And the others, the people who never made it onto the lifeboats. Too many of them drowned that night, and Ladybug was the cause of it.

Suddenly, Tikki opened her eyes in her casement. She looked up at Ladybug with a smile, one of her tiny arms gripping her side, as if she were in pain. The little kwami put on a brave face for the young hero, but she could see right through. What were they doing to her? She wanted to reach into that cage and take the poor kwami far away from this wretched place.

"That's enough for today," The blonde woman interrupted as the same large men who escorted them to the lab took hold of Ladybug and Chat. "Take them back to their cells to recover, we'll start fresh again tomorrow."

Neither teen was exactly sure how to recover from what had just happened. They almost didn't care when they were thrown back into those dark, dingy cells. They almost died, for real this time. Sure they put themselves at risk of death every time they fought crime, but nothing had ever been as serious as this. They could feel it, the water entering their lungs, forcing them to sink like rocks to the bottom of the ocean. Holding each other, as if they were the air that they needed to survive. There was just so much to take in, and so little time to think about it. That blonde lady, whoever she was, was going to do the same thing to them again tomorrow. Just the thought of that made them both feel anxious again. Neither of them were certain about how much time had past, all they knew was that the sun had already set before either of them opened their mouths. Chat was the first one to break the silence.

"Any ideas on how to get out?" He mumbled, just loud enough for his words to reach her ears.

"No clue." She replied, trying her best to sound helpful even though her spirit was completely crushed.

She looked around the cell, looking for some kind of weak point. But the cell was so small, so narrow. There wasn't any way out that she could see. There was a window about ten feet up, but even if it wasn't barred she was too big to fit through it. She sighed and leaned against one of the cold brick walls, letting her eyes flutter shut.

"We died today." She stated flatly. "But we also lived."

There was poetry in the way she spoke. A bittersweet tale of love and death. He nearly lost her, he nearly lost his life. Even if that blonde woman wasn't planning on killing them yet that didn't mean she wasn't going to. The next time they entered that laboratory may also be the last. There was always a risk of death, such a thing came with being a hero, but he never thought about the danger. Or if he did, he only thought about how he was going to make sure the danger never touched her. She was everything to him, the sky and the stars, and so much more. Just the thought that they might die, that _she_ might die, absolutely terrified him.

"Don't tell anyone that I was scared, okay?" Chat begged.

Ladybug rolled her eyes, completely annoyed.

"Why do guys do that?" She asked him. "You always act so tough as if nothing ever phases you. I was scared, you were scared, and that's normal because we were drowning."

She emphasized the 'd' word as if it were a curse. He knew exactly why men did things like this, he didn't like to think about the patriarchy that told men that emotions were a sign of weakness. The boy could hear his father's voice in the back of his mind, reminding him that boys don't cry. Adrien knew that it was all crap, that emotions were what made him human, but there would always be that little voice telling him what he had been conditioned to believe. Almost losing Ladybug today, that wrecked him. He suddenly felt so small, all alone in his cell. He curled up into a ball, thinking about how it felt to almost lose her. He couldn't imagine his life without her, without her there would be nothing but emptiness. As Adrien he never had the love of his father, and he never knew his mother. He only had the love of his best friend to comfort him in times of need. But Adrien could never talk to Nino about the one thing that he wanted to talk about. And then suddenly there was a girl behind a red mask, a girl that he could talk to about anything and everything. He could share everything that he wanted to, he could say everything that he was afraid to say as Adrien. She would listen and she would understand him in a way that nobody else did. He truly believed that she was his soul mate.

"I'm glad that you're safe." He confessed.

"Thanks." She whispered. "I'm glad that you're okay."

A few minutes of silence passed. Chat wondered if he should keep talking to her, but the thought of closing his eyes and drifting off just seemed so tempting. He could hear the low rumbling of Ladybug snoring in the cell next to his, indicating that she was now fast asleep. He lay his head in his hands, closing his eyes, trying to shake the thought that kept creeping into his head. He couldn't stop thinking about almost dying today. Dying without ever telling the most important girl in the world how much she truly meant to him. She was the life raft who kept him afloat, the air that allowed him to breath. Even though he knew that she was asleep, he said it, for nobody in particular to hear.

"Je t'aime."

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 **I just want to write in more bonding between Chat and Ladybug because I could honestly write ten pages of banter between them, but I don't want to bore everyone with an overload of dialogue. I imagine that since by this point they are seventeen they have become good friends.**

 **Keep reading!**


	6. Cyclone

Cyclone

 **More time travelling shenanigans in this chapter. I do not own MLB, I just wrote a story for it.**

* * *

"Today we are going to send you a little further back." The blonde woman explained once Ladybug and Chat Noir were fastened in their seats.

The night had been long and restless for the both of them, they were completely exhausted, and a little bit hungry. Their stomachs growled, their eyelids drooped, they both had large dark circles under their eyes. They were suddenly very thankful for the tacky plastic masks, at least the other wouldn't see how tired they looked.

"Are you going to tell us more or are you just going to keep hitting buttons?" Ladybug asked sarcastically. Without her powers sarcasm was quickly becoming her first line of defense.

The blonde woman looked at the young girl defensively for a minute before sighing in defeat. Neither teen could understand why the woman in the black jacket was so secretive, not even telling them their goal or where they were going.

"You will be travelling to the year 1871," The woman clarified, her voice sounded completely uninterested and even flater than it usually did. She barked a few orders at the lab assistants before continuing. "The Ladybug and Chat Noir in that time period were stationed in the northern United States."

It still freaked the two of them out that they had seen another Chat Noir and Ladybug in 1912. It was so weird, it was them but at the same time it wasn't them. They had different lives, different faces, different memories and experiences. Today gave the possibility of seeing another version of them, another hero who was long forgotten.

"Why are you sending us back anyway?" Ladybug questioned, barely able to turn her head to look at the woman. "What do you have to gain from this?"  
The woman smiled confidently, baring her pearly white teeth. She leaned in closer to the young hero.

"You ask too many questions, and they're not even the right ones." She whispered before pressing one final button on the computer screen.

Ladybug was about to yell at the woman again when the familiar shockwave of pain shot through her body. Her muscles immediately reacted as she writhed in pain, Chat Noir doing the same. Electricity flowed through their veins, coursing through their bodies. The pain was still excruciating, but not as bad as it had been yesterday. Duller, no longer feeling like they were repeatedly being stabbed. They both closed their eyes tightly, gripping at the armrests as if they were a lifeline. A white light flashed, temporarily blinding them, the rest of the world faded away and there was nothing tangible left to touch.

They opened their eyes to see that they were in an alley, between two wooden buildings. The sun was shining, the air was hot and dry. Already they were both beginning to sweat, Ladybug more than Chat. Just like the last time they were sent back in time they were given period-appropriate clothing. Ladybug wore a dress that was dark and heavy, there was lace up to her chin, the sleeves of the dress rolled to her wrists, the full, cupcake shaped, skirt touched the ground. The timeline had also been generous enough to gift her with a corset so tight that that could barely move or breathe. She really hoped that she wouldn't have to jump into action any time soon because corsets were not designed for fighting crime. Chat now wore a narrowly tailored sack suit and a tie loose around his neck, they looked like they had stepped out of a history textbook.

The two teenagers exited the shadowy alleyway and into the bright light of the sun. The streets were bustling with people, all of them in similar attire to what the two were wearing. They stood in the middle of the cobblestone street, surrounded by wooden structures, horse and buggies, and the playful chatter of people in the streets. All around them there were shops, people were yelling at random bypassers to try some new revolutionary product. The smell of freshly baked bread wafted from a nearby bakery, making the young girl miss her home. She wondered what her parents were doing right now, or about a hundred and forty years from now. They were probably in their bakery, making croissants or tarte tatin, thinking about their precious daughter and where she was. She hated to worry them, but if all went according to plan then they would all be together again soon, one happy family.

"You know," Ladybug said, looking around at the new world that they had found themselves in. It was terrifying and absolutely thrilling at the same time. "If it were not for the fact that we could die, this whole time travel thing would be really cool."

Chat nodded, linking arms with the young girl.

"Care to take a walk M'Lady?" He shot her a cheeky grin.

"Oh, what a gentleman." Ladybug joked, the two laughing merrily as they ventured out into the world.

Even though neither of them had money, and judging by the sun's position in the sky it was fairly late in the afternoon, they found themselves drawn to a bar. The inside was rather plain, with only a few paintings hanging on the walls, most of them of gently sloping hills or bowls of fruit. There were many small tables in addition to there being seating at the bar. The place was fairly desolate, a group of men sat at one table playing a card game, a man sitting at the bar, three lovely ladies fawning over him, and a girl sitting by herself. A girl in a red suit.

The two teens were not sure what to do, their eyes wide with shock. The just stood there for a minute, gaping at the mysterious girl in red. She was short and on the round side, with long curly hair that was pinned so as not to fall in her face. She had a very youthful look to her, she was probably only fifteen or sixteen. She had to be 1871 Ladybug. The two heroes then took another look at the young man sitting at the bar, he was mostly muscle, his long hair was tied into a braid, and he was dressed in all black. 1871 Chat Noir. They looked at each other, silently wondering if they should intervene. They hadn't in 1912, but to be fair everything on that first time trip was a surprise. Maybe they were supposed to be gathering information on Ladybug and Chat Noir, maybe that was all that the blonde woman needed. For a seemingly intelligent woman with an organized secret laboratory she did a wonderful job of keeping secrets. Discreetly, the blonde boy motioned over to the bar and then over to the lonely girl in red. Present day Ladybug nodded, and began to slowly make her way over to the table where the 1871 Ladybug sat. Two Ladybugs, Chat must be in heaven.

"Is this seat taken?" She asked, the girl in the red suit looked up, her face was crimson and she stuttered as if she wasn't used to being spoken to.

"Ch-Chat Noir is over there if you want to meet him." The 1871 Ladybug stammered, she had a high pitched voice, her accent sounded southern.

"Why would I want to talk to Chat Noir when I can talk to you?" Marinette asked as if it were obvious.

The 1871 Ladybug stared at the young hero in shock, but then her face softened and she began to laugh. She thought that Marinette was kidding. Marinette sat in the seat next to her, her corset shifting uncomfortably underneath her dress, making it difficult to sit. How did any woman ever do anything wearing those wretched corsets? They were literally a form of torture.

"He's the hero." She replied, pain stinging her voice.

"So are you," Marinette told the young girl. "You're just as powerful as him."

"But he gets all of the credit," The girl in red sighed heavily. "The boy always does."

The young girl's face scrunched, her face turning redder than her suit, her fists clenched on the table.

"I hate him," She whispered, venom stinging her voice. Her entire demeanor completely shifted from innocent to angry. But then she took a deep breath and her timid smile returned. "But a woman must control her feelings and listen to her man."

Marinette knew that this was just the times talking, that sexism was dominant. It would be worse here than it was in 1912 because the suffragette movement hadn't started yet and women had even fewer rights than they will have in forty years. It broke Marinette's heart to think about how this Ladybug thought that she was inferior because of her sex, when in reality Chat Noir and Ladybug were created to be equals. They balanced one another out.

"That's not right." Marinette put her foot down. "Never think of yourself as anything less than brilliant, alright?"

The 1871 Ladybug looked at her as though what Marinette was saying was completely preposterous. But then she smiled, a sweet smile that made the pain and anger on her face melt away. Marinette wondered how the other version of Chat treated this Ladybug, obviously it wasn't with the same respect and admiration that her Chat gave her. These two were not a team, they didn't see each other as equals, this was a superiority complex. Marinette looked over to the bar, where her Chat and the 1871 Chat were mumbling about something. She wished that she could hear that conversation, but Chat would probably tell her all about it later.

"What is your name?" 1871 Ladybug asked.

"Oh," Marinette stuttered. She decided that she should lie about her name, if Chat Noir heard this girl call her Marinette then her cover would be blown. "Mari."

It wasn't a lie, it was just a short version of her name. Alya sometimes called her Mari, goodness how she missed Alya. How many days had it been since she saw her now? Four? Five? She had almost lost count. She didn't want to think about the fact that Alya was sitting all by herself in class. And Adrien, was he worried? Or had he not even realized that she was missing? No, they were closer now than they were three years ago. He would notice if his friend was missing. She didn't know how she would explain any of this to them when she got back. How do you explain something as scary as being kidnapped, or something as mind blowing as time travel. They would think that she was completely mad.

"Mari." The 1871 Ladybug repeated, testing how the name sounded on her tongue.

Meanwhile, Adrien sat at the bar with an extremely drunk 1871 Chat Noir. The guy was annoying, he stuttered and laughed at everything, he flirted with every girl in the room but made snide comments about them when their backs were turned. Adrien thought that his Ladybug and the 1871 version of her would agree, this guy was an arse. He pitied the 1871 Ladybug for putting up with this guy, and felt terribly bad for her at the same time.

"Ya know," The 1871 Chat Noir slurred, taking another swig of his brandy. "I never like talkin' to fans, but you my friend are a hoot."

1871 Chat Noir began laughing hysterically at nothing, Adrien stared at him awkwardly and silently hoped that he wasn't this loony when he was drunk. He looked at the three girls at the bar, who were standing out of the way, but still close enough to touch this other version of Chat Noir.

"What about them?" Adrien asked, gesturing to the three women.

"They're accessories." 1871 Chat Noir stated flatly, calling the bartender over to refill his glass.

Adrien felt sick listening to this Chat Noir treating women this way. He knew that this had been normal in the nineteenth century but that didn't make it right.

"Don't talk about girls that way." Adrien snapped before he could stop himself.

1871 Chat Noir stared at Adrien with wide eyes as if he had just been slapped in the face. His face wrinkled, his brow furrowed. Adrien felt the need to back away, just in case this Chat got physical. But then he started hysterically laughing again, he slapped Adrien's shoulder just hard enough to sting. Adrien rubbed his arm sheepishly, watching the man in front of him laugh and act crazy. It was a wonder that he had any fans at all considering how obnoxious he was.

"You'll never get a lay if you say things like that." 1871 Chat cackled.

Adrien didn't bother speaking to this Chat any longer, he immediately stood up from the bar and sauntered over to the table where his Ladybug sat with the 1871 version of herself. They both eyed him curiously as he sat down beside his Ladybug, putting his head on the table.

"Too much for you?" His Ladybug asked with a snicker.

Adrien sat up and looked at the 1871 Ladybug. She was pretty, not that special kind of pretty that existed only in his Ladybug, but she was different. Her suit was different from his Ladybug and the 1912 Ladybug. She didn't have a need for a mask, her face was beautiful and bare, and suit was ill fitted and puffed out more at the hips like a dress. Her suit did not hug her as much as his Lady's suit did, although in this time period just showing an ankle was considered scandalous.

"I applaud you for putting up with that." Adrien told her. The young lady immediately turned bright red and averted her eyes. If only it were that easy to make his Ladybug blush. He felt his Ladybug lightly kick him under the table, a silent way of telling him to stop.

"He isn't the nicest person," 1871 Ladybug whispered, almost as if she were ashamed to say it. "But I have to listen to him."

"You don't have to." His Ladybug reminded her. "You two are supposed to be a team."

A team. That's what Ladybug and Chat Noir were, since the beginning of time itself. He had seen it in the 1912 Ladybug and Chat Noir, the way they relied on one another during their fight. The way they cared for each other. But in the 1871 version of them there was nothing but disagreement and inequality. That wasn't what having a miraculous was about. The 1871 Ladybug smiled at them, it was a hopeful smile but also bittersweet. She wanted the credit that she deserved, but she couldn't get it because she wasn't a boy. That life just wasn't fair, for her or any girl.

"Help!" A woman's voice interrupted the barren bar. She was an older woman, dressed in farm clothes. She looked frantic and frightened, like she had seen a ghost. "I think my Billy's been possessed by the devil!"

1871 Ladybug stood up slowly, smiling at the two teenagers as she did.

"That's my cue." She winked at them slyly, gaining a new confidence.

She followed the woman and a staggering 1871 Chat Noir out the front door of the bar, and everything was silent again. Ladybug and Chat Noir sat alone at the table for a moment, contemplating whether or not they should follow the two crime fighters. Ladybug stood up first, Chat followed her out of the door and into the bright and sunny afternoon. Luckily the wailing woman was loud enough that the two only had to followed the sounds of distress to find the small barn down the road. It was wood, freshly painted a bright fire engine red. A cozy little house sat next to the barn, chipped white paint and a grey roof with a tarp over what could only be a hole in the ceiling. A wooden deck sat in front of the house, with a nice view of the garden. A rocking chair swayed lazily in the breeze, a discarded newspaper sitting next to the chair.

Ladybug picked up the newspaper, a copy of The Chicago Times. The colourless photograph on the front page was some man who was running for president, since she didn't recognize the name she assumed that he never got the vote. The date read October 8, 1871. October, that meant that, technically, her birthday was a few days ago. She smirked, time travel was so funny that way.

"Hey Chat, look." She exclaimed, holding up the newspaper for him to see, a cheery smile crossing her face. "My birthday was a few days ago."

Chat smiled, but then he peered closer at the date, his eyes squinting. His eyes then widened in realization. He could have been wrong, he never studied American history, but the date was familiar.

"October 8." He softly read. He looked over at the barn, where that older woman was still screaming about her possessed Billy with 1871 Chat Noir and Ladybug by her side. "If we don't get them out of that barn they're going to die."

"Why? What happens on October 8?" Ladybug asked frantically.

He looked at her, his eyes flashed with worry behind his plastic mask.

"It's the day Chicago burns."

* * *

 **I couldn't decide what terrible event in human history I wanted them to go to, so I just opened my history text book to a random page and landed on The Great Chicago fire. And then the chapter got too long, so I decided to split it into two.**

 **Chat Noir is a bit of an arse in 1871. Don't worry, I plan on writing about a Ladybug who is a bit of a prick as well.**

 **See you next time!**


	7. Chaos

Chaos

 **Ladybug and Chat Noir are still in 1871. Why are they there? I still don't own MLB.**

* * *

"Well then we need to evacuate the city." Ladybug stated, looking confident as though he were about to turn around and carry out her plan by herself.

But she knew that her plan was useless, they couldn't evacuate the city before the fire started. The city was huge, and she didn't even know how she would go about getting an evacuation started. And trying to evacuate everyone went so well the last time they tried. An evacuation would be hard to execute, they needed a way to save everyone using the path of least resistance. A thought came to her head, it was risky but doable.

"Or," She hesitated before continuing. "Possibly rip a hole in the space time continuum by making sure that one of the worst blazes in American history doesn't happen."

"I'd risk breaking the fabric of time." Chat Noir replied, slinging an arm over his Ladybug's shoulder. "Mostly because I'm in the mood to kick some butt."

Ladybug smirked at him and the two charged towards the barn together. The corset and long dress didn't make it any easier for Ladybug to run, but she almost didn't care. It felt like years since the last time that she charged into battle and she wasn't giving that up just yet. For the first time since being kidnapped, they both felt free. They weren't contained in four walls in a disgusting prison somewhere, they were in a brand new world. A brand new world that they were about to save. Or at least they hoped. They threw open the large wooden doors to see the wailing woman from before standing in the barn with 1871 Chat Noir and Ladybug, and a cow? The 1871 versions of Chat and Ladybug turned around and stared at the two teenagers, 1871 Ladybug smiled in recognition, Chat Noir didn't. They turned back to the cow, whom one could only assume was Billy, standing in fighting positions. Billy the cow was emitting a dark aura, his eyes were soulless pits, it was actually quite terrifying. They had never seen an akumatized animal before, they didn't even think that animals could be akumatized. Sure, they had once fought an akumatized man who could transform into animals but he was a human, this was different. This was a cow, a regular cow. And it was evil.

"I guess it figured out who they're eating for Thanksgiving dinner." The blonde boy joked, his Lady immediately elbowing him in the chest.

The cow began to glow, the black aura surrounding the mammal becoming brighter than it had been before. Then everyone stood back in terror as the cow began to float and fly around the room. The older woman screamed and cowered, clutching the golden cross around her neck tightly. Ladybug felt her knees tremble and quake beneath her dress. Somehow, the thought of dying at the hands (hooves?) of a possessed cow was more frightening than drowning on a ship in the middle of the ocean.

"Well bugaboo, you always said you'd date me when cows fly." The boy flirtatiously remarked, wiggling his eyebrows at his horrified Ladybug.

"It's pigs, you idiot!" She practically screamed. "And what's with the jokes? Now is not the time to-"

Then she remembered their conversation from the previous night. Her wondering why boys never showed emotions, even in distressing situations. She knew that it made them feel weak, but she didn't understand why. She liked the Chat Noir she saw on the Titanic, the one that just wanted to protect others no matter the cost. And the Chat in the cell next to her's, the one that she could have long conversations with so that she wouldn't feel like she was wasting away all alone in the dark. The one who made her feel safe, who was her closest friend. She didn't understand why boys just pretended that fear and sadness weren't there. Perhaps jokes were just Chat Noir's way of coping with everything. She didn't know how she didn't notice it sooner.

"Mortals," A deep demonic voice bellowed. Everyone looked up in horror to realize that it was Billy. The cow. The cow was talking and it did not sound friendly at all. "How would you feel if I ate you?"

The cow swooped down over the heads of everyone in the barn. Billy began to float up again, circling the area as if he were an eagle circling its prey. 1871 Chat Noir extended his signature stick and began frantically hitting the cow as if it were a piñata. He was still really drunk and looked absolutely ridiculous. 1871 Ladybug sighed in defeat, as though she were completely done with the situation. She took out her yo yo and slung the endless wire around the floating cow's body and began pulling it down.

"Where's the akuma?" 1871 Ladybug called to her partner, who continued to swing at the cow as if candy were about to fall out. He just shrugged at her, as if he himself didn't know or care.

"Is akuma the name of the demon possessing my cow?" The older woman asked, her hand never leaving the golden crucifix that hung around her neck.

"Demon?" Chat whispered to his Ladybug, who was staring in shock at the utter incompetence that this team displayed.

"People used to blame anything that they didn't understand on the devil." His Ladybug explained.

She then looked over at the traumatized older woman. They had to get her out of here, at least if all else failed they saved one life today. The raven-haired girl with a plastic mask on her face cautiously took the woman by the arm and guided her away from the fight. Okay, Ladybug wouldn't call this a fight, she would call this stupidity.

"We need to get you out of here." She told the woman, leading her out of the barn.

The sun had already set, which wasn't abnormal, the sun set early in October. The sky was cloudless, a thousand stars dotted the endless black sky. They twinkled bright like the lights in the city of Paris, which only made both heroes miss home even more. It was so weird to think that home was over one hundred years away, and all of those adventures they had been on hadn't even happened yet. The past was the future, it was exciting and absolutely terrifying at the same time.

"Wait here. I'll get John to bring the buggy 'round." The older woman informed the teens, as if they knew who she was talking about. She scurried into her house, almost tripping over her long dress as she did. The woman stumbled, recovered, and continued running.

"See, these things are hazardous." Ladybug gestured to her own getup, the corset underneath her dress still cutting off the flow of oxygen.

"Well hopefully we won't be here much longer." Chat replied.

Even though he thought that she looked gorgeous in that dress, he respected the fact that she was very uncomfortable. He was also rather concerned, because she wasn't breathing normally and her face was beginning to turn blue. Why the heck did women wear corsets?

Just then, a man in his early fifties with greying hair trotted down the dirt walkway on a dark brown horse, a wooden buggy filled with hay rattling behind him. The buggy jumped and stirred with every bump and crack in the walkway, it didn't look ideal for travel, but there was no other way of escape. The older woman exited her house, pulling three young girls and a holding a baby boy in her arms. The daughters all had light brown hair just like their mother, the baby boy resembled the father. The woman let her young daughters climb into the buggy first, holding the bottom of their skirts as they climbed inside the hay-filled cart. The woman handed her son to the eldest daughter and then climbed in herself. She looked over at the two teenagers.

"Are you coming?" She called.

The two teens turned to look at the barn, there was still a fight going on inside, and a bad one too. Ladybug didn't care about the corset or the dress, she was going to help them fight. Chat nodded, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking about, they both smiled.

"No thanks," She responded, waving to the family. "We're going to see if they need any help."

With that the older man tugged on the reigns of his horse and the family began trotting down the trail. The buggy bounced and squealed again, jumping rocks and bumps. Hay was falling out of the cart, leaving a trail of the dried grass lying on the path. The woman smiled and waved to them as the disappeared into the shadows of the night.

"God be with ye!" The woman shouted as the buggy made a sharp turn onto the main road and seemingly vanished into the night.

The two teens were about to turn around and head back to the barn when a strong forced shoved them forward. The loudest sound imaginable violently ripped through the air, tearing and shaking the ground with its might. Both of the teens hit the ground, excruciating pain shooting through the both of them as it happened. The world became black for the briefest moment, but then they both came to. They could hear nothing but ringing, and through blurry eyes there was nothing but smoke. They both sat up to see the source of the smoke, the barn was gone, completely obliterated. There was nothing but a burning skeleton where the barn once stood. There was no demonic cow, no Ladybug, no Chat Noir. They were gone.

The two young heroes stood up slowly, intense agony coursing through their bodies, resisting every movement. They stood there for a minute, just watching the fire as it slowly got bigger, the small wooden house where the family once lived was now engulfed in flames. The red and orange flames were so close to them, they could feel the blazing heat on their faces as the warm glow lit up the night. Embers danced in the sky, flying out of the inferno like tiny little fireflies. Instinctively, Chat Noir laced his fingers with Ladybug's and squeezed tightly. His sudden touch sent a spark running through her body, running from the tips of her fingers and shooting up her arm. She squeezed back, enjoying the sensation, how perfectly their hands fit together. Like two pieces of a puzzle. For the first time since she woke up in that dingy little cell she wasn't thinking about escape, or her friends, or Adrien. All she thought about was Chat.

"Well now we know how the fire really started," He sighed. "A demonic cow combusted in a barn."

"That is the weirdest sentence that I've ever heard in my life." Ladybug told him, her eyes not leaving the blaze as it burned brightly in the night.

Her grip on his hand became tighter, and together they watched the city of Chicago burn. Another thing that they couldn't prevent, another thing that they couldn't save. They both wanted to cry, both just wanted to go back even if it was just five minutes. It was worth it if it meant preventing this. Maybe they shouldn't have waited so long, maybe they shouldn't have left the barn. But then again, this had to happen. If anything came out of this, at least they helped a family tonight. Then there was a flash of white light, and the city and the fire were gone.

* * *

 **Chat Noir hates heels and Ladybug hates corsets... They are definitely meant to be.**

 **I created mini backstories for the 1871 Ladybug and Chat Noir and didn't use them. Here they are anyway:**

 **1871 Ladybug is named Catherine Jones and she is fifteen, she was the youngest Ladybug ever, getting her miraculous at the age of eleven. Unfortunately, Chat Noir of the time forced her to reveal herself and therefore Catherine has no need for a mask. 1871 Chat Noir is named Edward Wilcox, he is eighteen years old and an entitled arse.**

 **Well that's it for now, have a great day!**


	8. Pandemonium

Pandemonium

 **I was going to upload this earlier, but then I realized that Fuller House was on Netflix and I had to binge watch that. I guess I could have taken five minutes to press upload (I have most of these chapters prewritten so that's literally all I've got to do.) I hope that you enjoy, I don't own this show, I just wrote this fanfiction.**

* * *

Their heads hurt again, their vision clouded, their faces still hot from the flames of the fire. They were both hot and sweaty, both were bright red. They couldn't move due to the restraints that kept them confined to the chairs, but they could still see one another, tacky masks still plastered on their faces. The masks were part of their bodies now, they were just as necessary as arms or legs. They smiled at each other, happy to see that the other was okay.

"Hey." He smirked, his pearly white teeth glowing.

"Hey yourself." Ladybug replied, finally being able to breath now that she was no longer wearing a corset.

"Hey to both of you." A stern voice seethed angrily. The blonde woman in the black jacket stood over them. Hands on her hips, glaring at them with rage. "You tried to stop the fire? You tried to help your past lives? You can't do that. You can't change the past, everything is fixed."

She covered her mouth, realizing what she had just let slip. She silently prayed that neither of them would notice her slip-up. But they did. Both teenagers, still restrained in their seats visibly stiffened and stared at the woman with wide eyes. Tikki and Plagg sat up in their tiny casement, both of their faces drained of any colour. But nobody noticed. Even the two lab assistants stopped whatever they were working on to listen to the conversation. Everything was silent for a minute, nobody moved, the room was still.

"What do you mean past lives?" Ladybug broke the silence.

The blonde woman was silent, she pressed her lips together in thought for a moment before looking over at the tiny glass cage with the two kwamis inside of it. They both looked tired and colourless, but they still stood tall and fearless. The blonde woman sighed and picked up the cage, which was light considering that kwamis didn't weigh anything, and held it closer to the teens. They both got a better look at their kwamis, they weren't flying like they usually were, they looked tired and powerless. All powerful, and yet so drained and weak. It hurt Ladybug and Chat Noir to see their kwamis in this state.

"They'll explain." The woman sighed.

"Nice to see you." Tikki said in a sing-song way, just happy to be with Marinette again.

"You too." The young girl replied with the biggest smile she could muster. She wished that she could put her hand to the glass, but she was still restrained.

"Hey." Plagg said to Adrien, the tiniest smile forming on the kwami's mouth. "Glad you aren't dead."

The blond boy smiled and let out a small laugh, Plagg was still the same.

"Tell us about the past." The ebony haired girl requested, a tinge of worry and anxiety in her voice.

Plagg and Tikki looked at one another, and nodded. The twins weren't smiling anymore, their demeanors shifting into something more serious, something that neither hero had seen before.

"How should I explain this?" Tikki wondered out loud, she took a deep breath and looked up at the teenagers. "Every Ladybug and Chat Noir are different, but they all have the same soul, if that makes sense."

"A different body, but the same spirit." Plagg continued bouncing off of his sister's explanation. "In the simplest of terms, reincarnation."

Nobody talked for a minute, letting the two young heroes take in the new information. They looked from their kwamis to each other. His jade green eyes looking into her ocean blue ones, neither of them looking away. They had always known that they had a connection, an intense, deep feeling that ran through their veins. Now they knew how deep that connection truly was. It was deeper than the ocean, stronger than a burning inferno. It was something rare, something special, something worth giving up everything for. Their connection ran beyond life, beyond death, beyond anything that was ever possible. It reached the stars, it went farther than the edge of the universe and back home again. They had lived together and died together. They won together and failed together. Their connection was infinite.

"How?" The young girl sputtered, trying her best to comprehend what she was being told.

Tikki slowly moved closer to the edge of her cage, putting a tiny hand on the cool glass.

"You have half of my soul," The little red kwami explained to the raven haired girl, she then turned to the blonde boy sitting in the opposite chair. "And you have half of Plagg's."

The two teenagers wanted to ask more questions, but the blonde woman pulled the cage away. Disappointed, sad looks crossed both of the teen's faces.

"I think that's enough information for now." She sternly remarked. She hauled the cage back into its original position before turning back to look at the teenagers. She waved over one of the guards and pointed to Ladybug. "Take her back to her cell. I want to speak to the boy alone."

The guard nodded and unlocked the restraints on the young girl's wrists. A wave of nerves washed over Chat Noir as his Lady stood up to leave. She looked at Chat Noir, who was still stuck where he sat, and recognized the anxious look on his face. She reached out to him, the tips of her fingers grazing his cheek. He closed his eyes, embracing the sensation of her touch, the heat of her fingers on his cheek, which spiked his body with electricity. He let all of his worries melt away with that single touch. It only lasted a moment, as the guard pulled her away from him. She looked back at him as she was hauled out of the room, but she smiled so confidently that it made any distress within him melt away. She didn't know how much he needed her, she comforted him and made him feel as though he wasn't alone. And then she was gone.

The blonde woman turned to Adrien, she looked at him for a minute. Carefully observing the boy, his eyes and hair, his facial features. Everything about him screamed Agreste. The woman smiled as if she were happy to see him, but in that smile was a twinge of disappointment.

"What did you want to talk about?" He asked, venom stinging his voice.

"You've gotten so big, Adrien." She whispered as if only he were meant to hear it.

Adrien eyed the woman, squinting in confusion as if he were trying to solve a riddle. She knew his name. She had been the one to take his miraculous, which meant that she had seen him as Adrien. But she knew his name, did that mean that he knew Ladybug's real name too? No. It was something else. He was a model, maybe she'd seen the advertisements that he was in. Yeah, it had to be that. The woman tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear, he could see how bright her eyes were.

"You know my name." Adrien stated. The woman nodded. "Because you took my miraculous and exposed me."

His voice grew angrier with rage, but the woman's expression softened. She shook her head slowly.

"You're worse than Hawkmoth." Adrien yelled, angry and confused.

Whoever this woman was had kidnapped him, locked him and the woman that he loved in a cage, stolen their identities. And for what? They still didn't know. But Adrien didn't get the chance to ask. Because the woman's face turned sour and livid. Her brows creased, her face turned red.

"I am nothing like that man." She sounded completely enraged. She didn't yell, she did that scary thing that parents do when they're angry and they talk as though they are about to explode. "He just wants power, and he will kill both of you in order to get it. I'm trying to save you and that girl."

"How is sending us back in time going to save us?" Adrien asked, his voice suddenly shaky. "Are you going to make sure that we never become Ladybug and Chat Noir?"

That thought scared Adrien the most. If he never became Chat Noir then he would still be a prisoner in his own castle. He wouldn't be free anymore. He would never be able to be himself. He would have to continue the masquerade of being perfect, possibly for the rest of his life. He wouldn't have been able to help anyone, he would never get the chance to be a hero. He would have never met Ladybug. Just that thought alone was enough to drive him mad. His partner in fighting crime, his best friend, the love of his life. The thought of never knowing her tore him apart inside. The most important being in all of creation, and he would forget about her.

"Of course not." The woman replied. Adrien breathed a sigh of relief, slumping backwards in his chair. "Your kwamis would still exist, meaning that Hawkmoth could still get them."

The woman began to press a bunch of buttons on the computer screen, the one that activated the time machine. Was she sending him back alone? Without Ladybug? Adrien writhed in his seat, desperate to free himself from his restraints. The machine began to hum softly, a low rumble as the mechanics heat up. He couldn't go back in time without Ladybug, he couldn't. Even if neither of them had their powers, doing anything without her felt wrong.

"Trust me," The woman slyly remarked. "You two are better without them."

She unzipped her jacket as the machine whirred and sputtered, almost vibrating. Adrien watched the woman as the familiar pain that came with time travel overtook his body. The woman tossed her jacket aside and continued to type commands into the computer. In the last few moments before the flash of white light he noticed something shiny dangling from her neck. A gold necklace, the pendant in the shape of a flower with a tiny pearl in the middle. He had seen that necklace before. It was one of a kind.

His father made it.

For his mother.

* * *

 **You all knew this was coming. It was kind of obvious, I know.**

 **I know that Ladybug and Chat Noir are not reincarnated and that they don't share a soul with their kwamis but I really like the idea because it makes their connection deeper.**

 **Adrien is being sent into the past alone. What will he find on the other side? What will he do without his dear Ladybug?**

 **Keep on reading!**


	9. Broken

Broken

 **I was going to post this tomorrow but decided to be nice and update early. I don't own MLB, I just wrote a story about it.**

* * *

This time when Adrien opened his eyes he was in the middle of a town, standing to the side of a muddy road leading up to a church on top of a hill. A white stone building with two steeples on either side of the structure, each one bearing a crucifix on top. Large stained glass windows dotted the front of the building, on either side of the large wooden doors. A painting of Jesus hung above the door, watching over the citizens of the town as they stepped inside for Sunday service. It was a cloudy day, a tad cold too, the sky was dark and dreary. There was no sunshine. The grass was the greenest that he had ever seen, which mean that he was probably somewhere where it rained a lot.

But he didn't care about where he was or what he was doing there. That woman, whoever she was, she had some explaining to do. He was filled with an intense rage, his hands balled into fists, his jaw clenched tightly. He didn't have time for this. There had to be some kind of reverse switch, right? Something that could bring him back to his own time. He frantically searched his clothing, the black jumpsuit had been replaced by a puffy, tattered shirt and a pair of grey pants stained with dirt. Then he stopped, he probably had to be near the machine to reverse the process. He sighed. He was stuck in the past with no Ladybug and no answers. He sunk to the dirty ground, his head in his hands. Why did she have that necklace? She wouldn't own that necklace unless… unless… No. He immediately expelled the thought from his mind. He didn't care who she was, he wasn't doing her bidding. Whatever her bidding was. He wasn't even going to move from this spot. No, he would stay there until the time machine brought him back.

Suddenly, a noise caused Adrien to look up from his place, crouched into a ball at the side of the road. His eyes travelled towards the church on the top of the hill. A large group of people was gathered around outside of the church, seemingly everyone in the town. Adrien was about to walk away, thinking that they were there for mass, but something was off. The Reverend stood at the center of the group, next to a large wooden pole. Adrien stepped closer to investigate. Pushing through the large, rowdy, crowd. They were shouting at someone, something about the devil, Adrien wasn't paying attention. He continued to push people aside, some of them giving him rude expressions, until he was close enough to see what was going on.

A girl, no older than sixteen, was bound to that wooden pole. She had dark brown eyes and jet black hair, she had her head down as if she was exhausted. Her face was red and puffy, her eyes were bloodshot. She had bruises on her face and gashes all across her body. She looked like hell, as if she had been beaten and tortured. Then he took in her attire, and his heart stopped. She wore a long and loose dress with puffy sleeves, red as blood, covered in black polka dots. A mask hid her face, a red and black plume stuck out of the top of it. It was Ladybug. That's when Adrien started paying attention to what the townsfolk were saying. Their voices came from every direction, pounding in his ears, repeating over and over like a broken record.

"Witch!"

"Satan!"

"Burn her! Burn her! Burn her!"

This was a witch trial. They thought that Ladybug was a witch. They were going to burn her. He felt an intense rage course through his body, he clenched his fists until they became white. He wasn't sure why. This wasn't the same Ladybug that he knew, this was a different girl. But then he remembered what Tikki and Plagg had told them. The same soul, which meant that this was technically his Ladybug, technically. Adrien instinctively reached for a staff that wasn't there, a reminder that he wasn't Chat Noir at the moment. He should still try to help her, but when he tried to step forward an invisible force pushed him back. He took a few steps back, ramming head first into the invisible wall, but he the force didn't budge. The harder he tried to push forward, the stronger the invisible wall pushed him back. It was the same wall that he felt on the sinking ship just a few days earlier. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't help her. He fell to his knees in defeat and shut his eyes tightly, he never wished so badly to be back in that prison cell in the dark. Then his ears perked up, eyes wide with realization, he wasn't Chat Noir, but somebody here was.

As if on cue a boy came crashing in, wearing an old puffy shirt which was probably white at one point but was now stained with dirt. His dark brown hair was disheveled and out of place, his face was filled with dirt, and his teeth were rotten and crooked. He wore a familiar ring on his finger, the miraculous that had belonged to Adrien. Chat Noir, from at least four hundred years ago. He looked like a pauper, quite the juxtaposition from the life that Adrien Agreste lived. He looked at the girl, eyes wide with fear and concern but also love and heartbreak. She returned the same look of longing and fear, squirming against her restraints when she saw him.

"Stop!" The boy yelled, he had some sort of accent that Adrien couldn't place. Northern? Cockney? No, Scottish. Definitely Scottish. A hush fell over the crowd. Small murmurs filled the air, voices drifting away with the wind. "She's not a witch."

Snickers could be heard from all around, some people gave the boy horrified looks. Adrien thought that the boy would cower and retreat, but he stood his ground, gradually stepping closer to the tied up girl. The Reverend stepped into the boy's path before he could reach her.

"Go home," The Reverend told the young boy harshly. "You have no right to be here."

The boy looked angry and bitter, his eyes filling with hot tears, he didn't know what to do. Adrien knew the feeling, the feeling of not knowing whether or not the love of his life was okay. Or should he say life of his lives? He was new to the whole reincarnation thing. The boy fell to his knees in front of the Reverend, praying and begging.

"Please." The boy whispered, his voice was shattered into a million pieces, his heart was no better. "She's not a witch, she's the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. T-take me instead."

The boy was crying at this point, he sniffled and stuttered, his eyes were bloodshot, his face was red and puffy. The tied up girl looked exhausted, but she still smiled at the boy, a single tear falling down her face. The Reverend took the boy's chin in his hand and forced him to crane his neck up, he was concentrating on the boy's face.

"She's cast her spell on you." The Reverend announced. "She has entranced you and forced you to do her bidding. She has possessed you as she has been possessed. Led by the Devil himself."

The crowd gasped, but Adrien didn't react. He was too busy watching the scene in front of him. They didn't understand Ladybug's magic, so they called it witchcraft. They didn't understand why a man would love a witch, so they said that he must be possessed. Adrien continued to watch in horror as the Reverend let go of the boy's face, then striking him across the cheek, sending him into the mud. The girl bound to the pyre let out a muffled scream, her voice was hoarse as though she had been screaming for hours. God, what had they done to her?

"Once she is dead you will be free from the Devil's grasp." The Reverend preached, loudly for everyone to hear. The Reverend looked up at the crowd, and raised his arms to the heavens. "With God as my witness I will free this town from sin. For witchcraft is the Devil's work, and all who use it must be executed."

The crowd cheered again and continued chanting about burning the poor girl. While the Reverend ranted, Adrien watched the young boy pick himself up out of the mud. He approached the girl tied to the pole. Adrien wished that he could hear what he said to her, but they were smiling and blushing, and that was all that mattered. Then the boy was dragged away, his smile vanished from his face, now twisted into something much more distressful. But the girl kept smiling at him, her eyes never leaving his, as if to give him reassurance that she would be okay.

"On this day July 19, 1590, Anna Spliid has been found by the tribunal of North Berwick to be guilty of witchcraft." The Reverend announced to the crowd, which grew rowdy and turbulent, shouting once again about the Devil and evil. "With the guilty verdict we sentence her to death by burning."

The crowd cheered, thinking that this was okay. Adrien was disgusted by this, they actually thought that what they were doing was justified. Adrien searched for the face of the boy, Chat Noir, in the crowd. He was standing near the pyre, as close to the young woman as he could be. They had already said goodbye, but now Adrien knew that it wasn't forever.

"May God grant mercy on your soul." Were the Reverend's last words. He didn't sound sad, but he didn't sound happy either.

That's when they doused the girl in oil and slowly lowered the torch. The sight was so cruel and scarring that Adrien didn't know how to describe it. He looked over at the young boy, the 1590 Chat Noir, he only stared at the girl in red with his mouth agape and tears in his eyes. He looked absolutely horrified. He watched as the innocent girl was consumed by flames, the fire eating away at her flesh. Her voice was hoarse, but she was screaming, her shrill cries were agonizing. She was in so much pain, and there was no way he could stop it, no way he could help her. The screaming echoed in his ears, his heart hurting even more with every passing second. Adrien covered his ears and shut his eyes tightly until the screaming eventually ceased. Her voice was gone, her heart had stopped, her body hung limply on the pole. The fire continued to burn, it wouldn't stop until she was nothing more than ash. The crowd slowly began to disperse, the trial being over. Adrien looked up and saw 1590 Chat Noir, on his knees, crying over the loss of his Ladybug. She died, and he couldn't save her.

It wasn't his fault. It wasn't her fault either. It was the magic. If there hadn't been magic then she wouldn't have died. Ladybug, Anna was her name in that life, didn't deserve to die because of the thing that made her so special. If they hadn't had magic this wouldn't have happened. None of this would. Adrien and Ladybug wouldn't have been kidnapped, they wouldn't have been sent into the past, none of this would have happened.

What was he even thinking? He had never wished that magic would go away. It was his only freedom. He didn't want it to go away. Even if it did mean that he and Ladybug were trapped, soon they would be free. Magic gave both of them the opportunity to help people, to be better humans. He shouldn't have listened to that woman in the lab, now he was thinking about life without magic. And life without magic sucked. That woman, the one in the lab wearing that damn necklace, she knew he would have these thoughts. She knew how he felt about Ladybug, and seeing her so helpless, forced to watch her suffer, hearing her torturous cries. Even if that Ladybug wasn't his, seeing her so helpless tormented him.

Adrien continued to watch 1590 Chat Noir as he cried by the pyre, the fire slowly dying now that there was nothing left to burn. The boy was on his hands and knees, crying and screaming for anyone to hear. Then he looked up, tear-filled eyes locking with Adrien's. Adrien smiled humbly at the boy, him in a past life, before a white flash of light engulfed his body.

* * *

 **I was going to have Adrien go to Salem, but I did some research and Salem never burned witches. So he is in Scotland instead where they did, in fact, burn those accused of witchcraft.**

 **Fun tidbit, I named 1590 Ladybug after two victims of witch burnings in North Berwick. Also, 1590 Chat Noir is named James Sampson, after the King of Scotland at the time.**

 **See you in the next chapter.**


	10. Damaged

Damaged

 **This fic is now rated T for swearing, you have been warned. This show does not belong to me, I just like writing stories about it.**

* * *

"Why the fuck do you have my mom's necklace?" Adrien fumed the second the woman's face came into view.

"Such a warm welcome," The woman sighed, her finger coiling around the chain of the necklace. "I thought you were raised better than that."

Adrien was still restrained to his seat and that woman was damn lucky that he was. Adrien never knew his mother, and his father refused to talk about her. He knew from some snooping that her name was Ariana Agreste, formally Ariana DuBois. She was born on August twelfth in Nice, studied science at Cambridge University in England, and met his father while modeling an outfit for a friend's senior project at the London College of Fashion. He knew that she wasn't dead, there would have been some kind of document if she was. She sort of just left one day when he was a baby. That's all that he knew. He only had one picture of her, she was wearing a long white dress and standing next to his father outside of Notre Dame, where they had gotten married. He knew that she had blonde hair, and that she had given him her green eyes-

He looked at the woman, she had the same bright green eyes that he did.

He was afraid to ask, but also eager, and a little bit enraged. Such an odd combination of emotions.

"Are you Ariana?" He broke the silence, his voice was quiet and unreadable. He might have sounded intrigued, he might have sounded bitter. But he used her first name, because even if this was the woman who gave birth to him, he sure as hell wasn't calling her mom.

"You were only a year old the last time I saw you." She affirmed, smiling slightly. She slowly took hold of the tacky plastic mask and lifted it off of his face. She looked at his face, studying him. This was the first time she had gotten a good look at him since he was a baby. "You look so much like your father."

Adrien scowled at her and looked away. She couldn't leave for sixteen years and then expect him to be civil to her, especially after kidnapping him and the woman that he loved.

"Adrien, I understand that you're angry," She soothed, her voice tinged with disappointment, but mostly regret. "Your father-"

"Don't talk about my father." Adrien snapped. "I don't want you to talk to me. Ever. Let Ladybug and I go."

Ariana looked at her son, who was still restrained to his seat. He was angry, that she could tell, he had every right to be.

"Let me explain." She pleaded.

"No!" Adrien yelled lividly. "I'd rather rot in that fucking cell than listen to you!"

Despite wanting her son to understand, to listen to her for just a minute, Ariana pressed the appropriate button to unlock her son's restraints. He bolted up from his seat and began storming away. But the casement holding the two kwamis caught his eye. He saw Plagg, lying in the cage, his tiny body immobile. Tikki stood over him, looking terrified. Adrien stared at the little black sprite in concern, then ferocious rage washed over his face once again.

"What did you do to him?" He yelled, fists turning white.

"Nothing." Ariana replied calmly. "You're beginning to realize that I'm right, so much pain would just go away if there was no magic."

Adrien stood frozen. She was wrong. He didn't think that. He loved magic and being Chat Noir, it gave him an identity and a purpose. It gave him and Ladybug freedom to be whoever they wanted without the fear of being judged or mocked. It gave them the chance to do incredible things, things that only a handful of people get to experience. But then her face flashed in his mind, her screaming, the blood, her burning flesh. He tried his best to push the thought away.

"That's bullshit!" He yelled.

"You say that," Ariana continued. "But I know that you're thinking about her, burning there on the pyre, knowing that you couldn't do anything to help her."

He glared at her angrily before hurrying out of the room, a guard following at least six feet behind. He put the metallic plastic mask back on his face. It wasn't the same as his Chat Noir mask, but it still hid his face. Because in that moment, he wanted to be anyone but Adrien Agreste. He stormed down the flight of stairs to where his cell was. He threw open the steel door to the prison. Ladybug was standing in her cell, head sticking out between the bars, a large smile on her lips. With that smile, he nearly forgot about the anger that was festering inside of him. She was okay, she was alive, she was standing in front of him, giving him that sweet smile. He ran up to the cage, laying his hands delicately overtop of hers. He could feel her again, she was there with him, he wasn't alone. They were okay.

"Hey." He whispered. His voice was filled with urgency, yet he had a large smile plastered on his face.

"Hi." She whispered back, returning his sweet smile, reassuring him that she was alright.

Both of their smiles immediately faded when the guard shoved Chat Noir back into his cell and locked the door behind him. Soon they were alone in the dark again with only a faint light of the setting sun streaming in through the window. Then there was silence between them again, a necessary one they silently agreed. Ladybug wanted to ask, but she wasn't sure that Chat Noir was ready to tell her. Then she heard small whimpers, muffled sobs of the boy in the cage next to hers, and her heart immediately broke for him. She could only imagine how he must be feeling, what he might be going through. Chat's entire body shook violently, his head was in his hands, he squeezed his eyes shut so tightly that they might never open again. Ladybug realized the pain that he felt, so she reached out of her cell, her arm extending through the bars. A moment later she felt the touch of his warm hand against hers. They stayed like that for a long time, she didn't talk. She didn't judge him. He had to get his emotions out, it wasn't healthy to bottle everything away. She let him cry until there were no more tears to shed.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." She whispered. "Just know that I'm here, I'll always listen."

He shut his eyes tightly. As much as he didn't want to talk about it, he also didn't want to keep this bottled up. Ladybug was his friend, his closest friend. She was the only person that he could talk to about this, the only person who would understand. She would listen, she would try her best to help, she would comfort him. And he would do the same for her in return, anytime she needed it. It was one of the reasons why they were so close.

"I found out," Chat mumbled, his voice shaky. "That she's my mom."

Ladybug sat in silence. She bit her bottom lip tightly to keep herself from gasping. She was shocked, and confused. She had so many questions, most of which Chat Noir probably couldn't answer. She didn't want him to feel as though he couldn't talk to her. She hoped that he knew that she was there for him.

"Her name is Ariana. Sh- She kidnapped me," He stuttered, his voice cracking. He took a deep breath, determined not to cry again. "She kidnapped you, she made me feel like life would be better without magic."

Ladybug's expression became anxious and also perplexed, her hand still outstretched and pressed against Chat's. She didn't want to pull away just yet, even if her arm was beginning to ache. She was confused, how did this woman think that his life would be better without magic? Why would she want him to think that? These and so many new questions bombarded her, screaming in her mind, begging to be asked. But she didn't want to overwhelm him, so she started with a simple question.

"How?" She asked cautiously, careful that she didn't ask anything that he would be uncomfortable answering.

She felt his hand shake and he immediately withdrew his arm. He brushed his sweaty blonde locks out of his face, he curled up into a ball, feeling so small. He shook wildly again, sobbing into his hands because of what he witnessed earlier that day. The image was still fresh in his mind, her burning flesh, the chanting townsfolk who were happy to see her suffer, her screams as she was met with a violent and horrific end. Those screams haunted him, like a phantom whispering into his ear. He knew that it wasn't his Ladybug, but Anna Spliid looked so much like the girl in the cell next to his. Her hair was black as the night sky, her face was round, they even had the same ski slope nose. He had spent hours memorizing every curve of his Ladybug's face, her image forever burned into his brain. Another tear escaped his eye, then another, he quickly wiped them away.

"I watched you die." He choked out.

Ladybug took in a small, sharp, breath at those words.

"She sent me back alone," Chat sobbed. "To the sixteenth century, during the witch trials."

Ladybug's eyes widened, predicting where this story was going. She put her hand to the wall, as if somehow she could tear it all down, break through the stone, get back to him. It hurt her to know that this was how he was feeling. Even though he annoyed her sometimes, she still cared deeply for him. All she wanted to do in that moment was hug him, hold him and make sure that he never felt the way that he did ever again. She was still there, she was still alive. She would care for him as long as her heart was beating, in this life and every life after.

"I- I know that it wasn't you… But…" Chat trailed off, trying to collect his thoughts. He couldn't hold back anymore. He violently cried, he could barely breath. He took a large breath and continued. "I watched you burn. You had all of this power, all of this magic, and you were doing so much good. But everyone thought that you were a monster! You would have lived if it weren't for-"

"Stop." Ladybug demanded. She felt bad for not letting him finish, but this wasn't going anywhere good anytime soon. "That was the past, we can't change it. She wants us to believe that life would be better without our miraculouses, but we both know that's not the truth."

Ladybug sat with her back against the wall connecting the two cells, her head tilted up at the small window where the light would shine in. All that she could see was gold, meaning that the day was nearly over, the world would be dark soon.

"We've done so much good," Ladybug reassured him. "This woman, your mother, she doesn't want us to see the good. I wish that I knew why. There will always be bad, that's inevitable, but there will always be good. I know that you love being Chat Noir, I know that you embrace every little moment of the time you get to be him."

He knew that she was right, he shouldn't have doubted any of this, not for one second. Being Chat Noir was the only time he got to be free, even if it was only for a few hours. The limited amount of time that he had as the masked hero was so special because he got to be himself. There were no photo shoots or fathers constantly breathing down his neck. He could be reckless, make his own decisions, he could have flaws. There was only him, fighting crime alongside the coolest girl in the world. Even if he didn't know who she was behind the mask.

"And," Ladybug continued, her face broke out into an uncontrollable grin, a deep scarlet blush covering her face. "Going on all of these adventures, fighting evil side by side, has been the greatest experience of my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Her face was hot, blood pooled in her cheeks, her heart fluttered slightly. Every word of what she had just told him was the truth. She cared for him, she really did. His friendship meant the world to her. No, not the world, that was too small. The whole universe, the sun and the moon, the infinite cosmos that stretched beyond the galaxy, touching every star that ever existed and ever would exist. That is what he was to her. She knew that he felt that way for Ladybug, but he would never feel that way for Marinette. When she put the mask on she was confident and flawless, Marinette couldn't even talk to the boy that she liked without getting flustered. He loved a perfect version of her, a Ladybug who was completely fearless. She had gotten better, she could admit that. She used to be a lot less social before she became Ladybug. Maybe it was time to stop hiding behind a mask, maybe Ladybug was something that Marinette should aspire to be.

"You really know how to pick someone up when they're down." Chat's voice sounded so much happier, it filled Ladybug with glee to know that he was feeling better. "I'm so lucky that I have you, my purr-ecious."

"That was awful." Ladybug groaned.

And yet she couldn't help but smile. He was acting like himself again, and that was all that mattered. She smiled, leaning against the walls of the uncomfortable stone cell that they had spent the last few days in. They couldn't stay forever, they needed a plan, or they would both rot in those cages for the rest of their lives.

"Chat?" She called. The blonde boy's ears perked up at the sound of her voice. "It's time to plan a prison break."

* * *

 **Adrien confronted his mother, and more Ladybug/Chat Noir banter because I love them. What will happen next? Well, I know. But you'll have to wait to find out.**

 **See you soon!**


	11. Shattered

Shattered

 **One last time trip before everything slowly goes to hell. Where to? Who knows! I don't own MLB, I write stories for fun.**

* * *

They ended up talking all night. For most of the night they stayed up, coming up with plan after plan. A lot of them had some sort of fatal flaw, but they would try anything in order to escape. But sometimes, completely accidentally or not, they would get off topic, asking mundane questions about the other's life. They would tell each other light hearted stories, they would laugh together, little things to distract themselves from their situation. It was nice, just being in the other person's company. They liked how they could talk to each other like normal teenagers. But when they weren't joking and laughing, they were working on their plan, they edited and revised it. Their plan was no where near perfect, and it was a little bit risky, but it was a plan and it was better than nothing. They just hoped that time would be on their side.

But time is always an enemy. And when the first beams of morning light spilled into the prison cells a couple of soldiers arrived to take the teenagers back to the laboratory. The two of them were silent the entire time, and Chat Noir didn't even look at Ariana. He didn't care if she was his mother. She didn't deserve his attention, she didn't deserve the right to be called mom, not after all that she has done. But that didn't stop her from attempting conversation.

"This is the farthest back we've ever sent you." Ariana explained, typing various commands into the large computer.

Between her typing and ordering around her lab assistants she glanced over at her son. He didn't react to her words, he didn't even move. His breathing seemed heavy, his body looked tense. He refused to give her any indication of emotions, anger, sadness, confusion. She couldn't read anything with the blank expression he wore on his face. Then her eyes wandered to Ladybug, who narrowed her brilliant blue eyes at the woman. Ariana figured that her son had told Ladybug about her, hence the rude expression on the young girl's face. Ariana didn't blame Ladybug for judging her, or her son for ignoring her. A part of her knew, after everything that she had done to them, she deserved it. But they didn't understand, what she was doing was the right thing for them.

"You don't want to know?" Ariana inquired, an eyebrow raised.

"Surprise us." Ladybug stated flatly before turning her gaze away from Ariana.

Ariana sighed and flipped the switch, Ladybug and Chat Noir braced themselves for the familiar pain that came with time travel. The electric shock felt like a punch to the face, or getting stung by a hive of wasps, it was never pleasant. Both of them felt as though their entire bodies were burning, like there was lava in their blood. They both found that it hurt less than the day they first travelled back in time, but it definitely wasn't an upside to time travel. The flash of white light didn't come fast enough.

When the light faded they were in a house. A one room house with large windows and white clay walls. An uncomfortable looking cot sat in the corner of the room, a counter made of stone and a few flimsy looking chairs made up the dining area. There wasn't much beyond that, a scrap of bread sat on the counter, a yellow flower was wilting in a clay vase. There were no lights, meaning that they were in a time before electricity.

"Where do you think we are?" Chat Noir asked. "Sorry, when do you think we are?"

Ladybug looked at the period-appropriate outfit that the machine had given him and immediately turned deep crimson. He wore only a linen skirt that stopped at his knees, his chest was completely bare. His toned, chiseled, muscles were completely exposed. Chat Noir was in pretty good shape. She was definitely not complaining about his costume. Her outfit was much longer and looser, her dress was white and soft, it felt like something that she would sleep in.

"Let's find out." Ladybug tried her best to keep eye contact with Chat, but him being shirtless made it very difficult.

She pushed past the boy towards a makeshift door, which was more a long cloth hanging from the ceiling than anything. She pushed back the cloth, light flooded the room, the sun shone brightly in her eyes. She took a few hesitant steps into this new world, it was boiling hot, the air was dry and still. There was no wind at all, she could already feel herself beginning to sweat. It was never this hot in France, and this was unbearable. The streets were made out of dirt and stone, children were playing in the streets as if the heat didn't bother them. And it most likely didn't. The buildings were made of stone, some of them had colourful paintings above their doors, statues stood tall and proud, and stone arches lined the streets. It was beautiful and spectacular in it's own little way.

"Anything you recognize?" Chat Noir questioned, suddenly appearing beside her.

"I'm not sure…" Her voice trailed off as she slowly looked up.

He followed her gaze to a large mountain, just like all of the others surrounding the city. Tall and intimidating, something that could never be moved. But there was something about it, something that wasn't right. That large mountain that loomed over this city, it wasn't a regular mountain.

"That's a volcano." Ladybug gasped. She had seen so many pictures of that destructive beast in the history textbooks, it was the same volcano that made an entire city disappear. "Vesuvius, we're in Pompeii."

"Well maybe today isn't the day." Chat Noir tried to sound optimistic, but he knew the trend.

"We only go back to destructive days." Ladybug told him sadly, hanging her head slightly. "Today is the day."

She looked up at the city, taking in every detail of this world while it still existed. It was bittersweet, being in Pompeii on the eve of its falling. It was even worse to think about the fact that all of these poor innocent people would die. It really took a toll of the both of them, seeing so much death and destruction the last few days. Pompeii, being there was extraordinary. For more than a thousand years this city would be buried beneath the earth. It would be nothing but a story, a legend, nobody would even remember it existing. Until one day, when someone rediscovers that amazing little treasure of a city. And a whole new appreciation would blossom for what was lost and what was found.

They started walking, for no other reason other than to explore. It was the city's last day on the face of the planet, it may as well be a good one. There were a lot of bars in the city, cafes, and restaurants, the smell of food made their stomachs growl. How much did they wish that some money had come back with them? Or at least whatever currency was back in the year 79. They knew that stealing was out of the question, it wouldn't be fair to whoever ran the shop. Plus if memory served in ancient times they used to cut off the hands of thieves and then hang them in the middle of town. They continued walking, passing stores and restaurants, decorated with paintings and statues of deities. One of them was eerily familiar, a bust of a girl with long hair and a defined jawline. The most curious detail was stretched across her face, a mask with polka dots on it. Chat Noir stared at the bust for a long time, then over at his Ladybug, wondering if it was just a coincidence.

"That's Ladybug." A scraggly voice informed him.

Of course it wasn't a coincidence. Chat Noir turned to see an older man, dressed in a dirt-filled linen cloth, he was bald and his eyes were almost black.

"Not many know this one," The man continued. "One of our city's very own goddesses, she keeps us safe."

That's when Ladybug started listening. A goddess? She smirked, ancient people thought of her as a divinity. They worshipped her. The thought was weird, but also rather fascinating.

"Is there another one? Cat themed maybe?" Chat asked hopefully.

The man shook his head. Ladybug laughed and elbowed Chat lightly in the chest. He glared at her, somewhat annoyed.

"She lives in that big house just up the hill," The old man pointed up towards a house made of glamorous white stones. "But she doesn't like visitors."

With that, the man lumbered away, disappearing into the crowd. The two teenagers looked up at the house, gawking at how marvellous it was for first century architecture.

"Well she's going to get visitors today." Ladybug mumbled as she began her trek up the hill, Chat Noir close behind.

Her eyes never left the mountain, which was filling up with molten hot lava at that moment. She wondered when the pressure would become too much, when it would all inevitably explode. When all of this was gone, it would be remembered only in the memories of those who loved it. But what would happen to her? To Chat Noir? Paris had no doubt by now realized that their beloved heroes had vanished. Were they missed? Was someone looking for them? Or had they already been forgotten about. A fading memory in the minds of Parisians everywhere. The thought made her shudder, she didn't want all of their adventures together to be erased from history when they were gone.

The house was bigger than any of the other houses that they had seen in the city. The house was white and made out of stone, columns rose up to the roof, a wooden door painted white hung lazily on its hinges. There were gardeners trimming topiaries and rose bushes, and a large statue of what was most likely a household God stood surrounded by brightly coloured flowers. Ladybug was the one who knocked on the door, she waited for a minute, and when nobody answered she knocked harder. The door opened slightly and a young man poked his head out, a mop of disheveled black hair on his head, a small smile on his lips. A ring on his finger, a familiar ring.

"Hello." The boy greeted, he didn't make eye contact with either of them.

"Hi, is Ladybug here?" Ladybug asked, trying her best to sound pleasant.

"My Lady isn't taking visitors today." The boy quickly replied, trying to shut the door, but Ladybug put her foot in the doorway, forbidding it from closing.

"We aren't visitors," Ladybug told him. "We need to speak with her, something bad is going to happen today and there is no way of stopping it."

The boy nodded as if he understood and opened the door for them. The house was just as spectacular inside as it was on the outside. Stone walls painted white, pictures depicting Gods and battles were painted on the walls and on the ceiling. A statue of a goddess, more likely than not Vesta, stood in the middle of the room. The boy led the two heroes into another room, where a sheer white curtain made of silk hung. He pulled back the curtain to reveal a young lady lying on what looked like a very uncomfortable bed. It wasn't really a bed as it was a slab of concrete with a woven cover. The young woman wore Ladybug's signature red and black suit with the mask covering her eyes. However, this Ladybug wore a matching headdress over her her head, covering her hair. The boy got down on his knees, bowing to the woman.

"Should we bow too?" Chat Noir whispered.

Ladybug slowly nodded her head and the two heroes politely lowered themselves onto their knees in respect. The young woman looked at the three people kneeling before her, sitting up in her bed and watching them.

"My Lady," He said, he lifted his head up to look at her. "These strangers wish to speak with you."

The young girl stood from her bed and began circling the three of them slowly. Her piercing grey eyes were cold and unfriendly, they gave off an intimidating glare. She stopped in front of them, she raised her hand, giving them the signal to rise. Ladybug stood up slowly, Chat Noir following close behind her. The young girl sat on the edge of her bed, she didn't smile or frown. Her face was unreadable.

"What is your wish?" She asked, her voice uncaring and cold.

"It's not so much a wish as it is a warning." Ladybug explained.

"Do not waste my time with warnings, if anything were wrong then the seers would inform me." The young lady spat, narrowing her eyes at Ladybug.

The boy stood up from his position on the ground and was about to close the curtain. Ladybug stepped in front of him. She had to say something, she couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

"I'm a seer." Ladybug interrupted.

The young woman stood from her bed once again, circling Ladybug and occasionally stopping to observe her. Ladybug froze, what was she doing? Could she sense that something was wrong? This girl most likely knew that Ladybug was not a seer. But she knew exactly how the city would fall, and that was all that mattered.

"Prove to me that you are a seer." The girl spoke softly.

Ladybug closed her eyes. How would she be able to prove that she could see the future? She didn't know much about Pompeii other than what would happen later today. But she knew Ladybug, she knew what made Ladybug a hero.

"Tikki?" She called.

The young woman's eyes widened, she was suddenly engulfed in a bright red light, transforming her from Ladybug to a normal girl. She wore a long purple dress, the colour of royalty and the Gods, a gold laurel sat atop her headdress.

And floating in front of her was the cheery red kwami that was attached to the miraculous. Attached to her. Even though she knew that this wasn't the same Tikki that existed nearly two thousand years into the future, Ladybug still smiled as if seeing an old friend. Her heart swelled with joy, she had to bite her tongue to keep from squealing. She just wanted to hug the tiny kwami, it was so good to see her again. She tried not to seem weird, this Tikki didn't even know who she was. Marinette didn't exist yet. This was a different Tikki, but she was still wise and confident. She wished that she still had her miraculous, then maybe she could be Ladybug again.

"It's good to see you." Ladybug smiled at her kwami, barely containing her excitement.

"Um.. you too?" Tikki replied, eyeing her curiously.

Ladybug felt a tiny pang of sadness in her chest. She knew that Tikki wouldn't recognize her, she didn't know Marinette yet, she wouldn't know her for nearly two thousand years. Although she wondered if maybe, just maybe, Tikki could sense that she was Ladybug. The small smile on Tikki's red face was hard to read. Maybe she knew, maybe she didn't. She would have to ask her Tikki once she got back.

"Okay, you have my attention," The young woman sounded annoyed and surprised. "What do you see?"

"Later today that mountain is going to explode and the entire city will burn." Ladybug explained, she knew that the word volcano didn't exist yet. It wouldn't exist until tomorrow. "I suggest that you get out of this city, get as many people out as-"

"Stop." The woman held out her hand, silencing Ladybug. "The Gods of the mountain will be reasoned with if your prophecy be the truth."

The young woman stood up and tugged the young boy by the sleeve of his shirt. They began leaving the room, Ladybug and Chat Noir followed them close behind. The girl and the boy were both engulfed in light and transformed into their superhero counterparts. Ladybug grabbed the young girl by the arm and pulled her back.

"Where are you going?" Ladybug yelled. "You have to li-"

The young woman pushed her to the ground. Chat Noir held out a hand to help her up and he glared at the young woman angrily.

"How dare you touch a Goddess without permission." She declared, her voice boomed and echoed throughout the room.

"Ladybug is mortal." Ladybug stated, taking Chat Noir's hand and lifting herself up on her feet. "You are not special or invincible, you are not and you never will be a God."

The young woman who stood before Ladybug looked astonished, as if she couldn't believe that someone would ever have the audacity to speak with her in this manner. Ladybug felt a small smile creep onto her face, she remembered Chloe having that exact same horrified expression whenever Marinette talked back to her. She hated girls like that, the ones that thought that they were better than everyone else because of money or power. And at one point in history, she had been one of those girls.

"How dare you speak to my lady that way." The boy sneered, grabbing Ladybug by the arm.

"Enough." The young woman interrupted, striking the young man across the face before turning around to leave. "Mountain first, her second."

Even though the two Pompeiani didn't want the two heroes to follow them, they did. They walked up the mountain just out of sight. It was quite a difficult trek, jagged rocks jutted out from everywhere, the slope was too steep in most places. They began to wonder if they would ever make it to the top in time. The two teen heroes watched as the young woman entered a cavern in the side of the mountain, her associate following close behind. The cavern was small and tight, they had to squeeze through as quickly and quietly as they could to avoid being detected by the wannabe-Goddess and her teammate. Although she didn't seem to treat him as a teammate so much as she did a slave. The inside of the mountain was boiling hot and filled with smoke, tiny little rocks and ash rained down from the roof of the cavern. Tiny tremors shook the floor, slowly growing stronger, it was nearly time.

The cavern opened up to a large ring of fire, lava boiled and bubbled in the depth below, smoke wafting up from everywhere. The woman stood on a rock, hovering above the lava pit down below. Chat Noir and Ladybug crouched down behind a boulder, a veil of smoke giving them extra cover.

"I wish to speak with Vulcan, God of fire." She demanded, her booming voice echoed and bounced off of the mountain walls.

From their hiding place they could see that the lava in the volcano was beginning to ripple and stir. The mountain began to shake and the ground began to crack. Giant rocks fell into the lava, burning up on impact. Ash fell around them and smoke clouded their vision, making them cough and choke. Chat Noir instinctively grabbed Ladybug, and hugged her close to his chest, afraid of what would happen next.

A humongous rock figure rose from the lava and let out a terrifying roar. The monster was at least fifty feet tall, with stone horns jutting out of its head. Fire spewing from its mouth and eyes. There was something around its wrist, a golden band of some kind. Something that Ladybug and Chat Noir knew meant that there was an akuma inside. The young girl fancied an akumatized victim a God. Either she was an imbecile or Tikki and Plagg did a very bad job of explaining their goals as Ladybug and Chat Noir. Most likely the first one.

"Should we tell her?" Chat Noir whispered.

Ladybug looked at the young girl and the boy, they were Ladybug and Chat Noir here. This was their job, it was not the place of visitors from another time to intervene. So Ladybug shook her head and continued to watch the young girl curiously.

"Vulcan," The young woman started, lowering her headdress from her scalp, her long brown hair dripping with sweat. "I wish to speak to you about the prophecy."

"Miraculous." The beast bellowed, it's low voice sounded creepy and almost like a ghost.

The beast reached out, trying to grab the young girl, but she was quick to jump out of the way. The mountain continued to rumble and shake, as if everything were about to collapse on their heads.

"Give them to me." The akumatized victim shrieked in anger, slamming its fist into the wall of the volcano.

The wall made the mountain less stable. Lava continued to rise, smoke continued to rise up and out of the large hole at the top of the mountain. There was no way to escape this, all of this was meant to be. The creature knew exactly what it was doing.

"Either give me your miraculous, or I destroy Pompeii." The beast told the girl.

She stared at the beast in shock. He was giving her the choice, either she keep her powers and watch her city burn, or the city stands, and her powers disappear forever. She wasn't ready to make such a decision. The people of the city looked up to her, she was their queen, their goddess. Pompeii would be nothing without her powers, and yet she had sworn to protect the city. They would still worship her, even without her powers. She was prepared to make a sacrifice for them, she sighed and slowly reached for her earrings. Ladybug's eyes widened when she realized what her Italian counterpart was doing.

"Stop!" Ladybug jumped out of her hiding spot and ran towards the young girl.

The girl looked at Ladybug in shock, thinking that she had left the ungrateful peasant girl behind.

"I thought that I made it clear that we didn't want to be followed." She spoke harshly, eyeing Ladybug as if she were about to push her into the lava.

"You can't give him your miraculous." Ladybug told her, taking a step closer to the girl in the red headdress.

"There are twenty thousand people living beneath this mountain," The girl yelled angrily. "They worship me, they honour me, and in return I protect them."

"I hope that you're kinder in your next life." Ladybug seethed, stepping closer to the young girl. "What you're doing isn't protecting them, you're protecting yourself. Being Ladybug isn't about power, it's about doing what is right. I know that Tikki would give up anything to keep the miraculous safe. Think about her, what would Tikki do?"

The young girl looked down at the earring in her hand, a small smile forming on her lips, and she stuck the tiny polka-dotted miraculous back into her ear.

"For Tikki." She whispered.

Ladybug opened her mouth to say something, but sound never came out, because at that moment the ground began to shake underneath her feet. The monster tore the ground apart, the lava rose with the creature's rage. The screams and cries of that monster drowned out any other sounds. There was ash and smoke everywhere. Vesuvius was erupting. Ladybug took one last look at the young girl before Chat Noir pulled her away. The two of them tried running back out the way that they came, but the tunnel was now sealed off. Rocks and ash fell around them, they crouched down and held each other tightly.

"Why aren't we back in the lab yet?" Ladybug questioned, even though she knew that Chat didn't know the answer.

"What if they're killing us?" Chat sounded scared, his words were muffled as he spoke into the girl's black hair.

Ladybug held onto him tighter, burying her face in his bare chest.

"Oh crap." She whispered into his chest.

Chat lightly kissed the top of her head, his lips lingering on her soft locks for a moment before resting his chin on top of her head. That kiss, though it was short, made them both feel warm and gooey, like drinking hot chocolate. But this wasn't the time to think about their feelings. They both shut their eyes tightly, waiting for the worst to come.

That's when the flash of light blinded them, and everything around them disappeared.

* * *

 **This was supposed to be longer... Not my best work but oh well.**

 **In the year 79 AD Ladybug and Chat Noir are named Aurelia and Alexander.**

 **I had to look up what you call people from Pompeii, which proved to be difficult because everyone jokingly said "dead." The main consensus that it came to was Pompeiani, which might be right or wrong. I tried. I'm not a professional writer.**

 **And, because I know that SOMEONE will ask why two French speaking teenagers understand Latin... The time machine translates everything? I don't know, that's how the TARDIS works...**

 **I really wanted to fit in a Doctor Who joke somewhere in here but I couldn't.**

 **Until we meet again, keep on reading.**


	12. Time

Time

 **It's time for something. I'm starving so for me it's time for food... I don't own MLB, I just wrote this story.**

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The chairs are just as cold and unfriendly as they were when they had left. The white lights in the room were harsh on their eyes. Neither of them could move, as they were still strapped to those damn time travel chairs and they still didn't even know why. Why were they sent back in time? They had seen the destruction of cities, the fall of empires, the deaths of thousands. They didn't even know what all of this was for. The two teens watched as assistants wearing white lab coats buzzed around them, writing things down in notebooks, typing data into the computer. They could ask one of them, but they wouldn't be getting any straight answers. Then there was Ariana, standing over them with her hands on her hips, looking between the two teenagers. Neither of them made eye contact with her.

She looked like she wanted to say something, but then decided against it. Ariana pressed the appropriate button to release the restraints on their arms and legs, two soldiers immediately grabbing them once she did. They were about to be lead back to their cells when Ladybug noticed something out of the corner of her eye, two somethings, and they didn't look well. Tikki. She was hurt, she was obviously in trouble. Ladybug felt her heart sink in her chest and her blood pressure rising. She was worried and absolutely furious at the same time. She tried to break from the guard's grip, but he held on tightly.

"Let me see her!" Ladybug yelled, thrashing in the soldier's arms.

The guard looked up at Ariana, who gave him a small nod. He let got of the young crimefighter, who raced towards the small casement containing her and Chat's kwamis. Tikki and Plagg weren't moving, their chests were still, their eyes were closed. She feared the worst. She turned to Ariana, eyes wide and fists clenched. She had a look in her eyes, a certain fire that couldn't be ignored. Ariana had assured them that their kwamis couldn't run out of power, she had assumed that they would be alright. But they were lying there, so still and quiet. Ariana was going to pay for what she had done.

"You said that they were all powerful." Ladybug screamed, her entire body shook with rage. "Why the fuck did you lie?"

Everyone in the room was taken back by her outburst. Chat Noir's eyes widened, he had never heard Ladybug swear before. She always had that fire in her eyes that couldn't be ignored, it was one of the things that he loved about her. The way she looked now, fierce and terrifying, it was almost scary. She looked at Ariana as if she were about to cut the lady's head off. Chat made a mental note never to piss her off, he definitely did not want to be on the receiving end of that glare.

"Calm down." Ariana told Ladybug calmly. "I didn't do this, the two of you did."

Both Ladybug and Chat Noir's faces fell. They both looked confused, their faces contorted and their brows raised. Both of them were unsure of what to say. They didn't know how to say anything exactly. No, it wasn't possible. Ariana had to have done something to them, she had to. Ladybug and Chat weren't capable of hurting their poor little kwamis, they didn't even know how.

"You saw the damage you've caused." Ariana spoke, her voice was harsh and stern. "Throughout all of your lives, all you ever bring is death and destruction. You try to do good, try to clean up any blood that you've spilled, but it still leaves a stain."

"That was not us." Ladybug retorted, even though she knew that Ariana spoke the truth. "That was a different version of us."

"Really?" Ariana asked, sauntering over to the computer screen. "Because even if that was not one of your past lives, it doesn't change the fact that Pompeii was all you. You stopped that Ladybug from saving Pompeii, you let twenty thousand people die."

She thought back to that moment in the volcano. That other Ladybug, the one who thought that Jupiter himself had graced her with amazing powers. The one who treated her Chat Noir like a foot stool. The one who wanted the city of Pompeii to live simply because she wanted them to continue worshipping her. Twenty thousand people. All that blood was on her hands. The light suddenly left her eyes, instead it was replaced with an intense, burning inferno. She had given that Ladybug in the volcano a choice, and she made the right one. She may have let a city burn, let thousands of innocent people die, but it was all worth it to keep the miraculouses safe… Right?

"She wanted them to live for the wrong reasons." Ladybug snapped.

"But if you never had those powers then everybody might have lived." Ariana slyly remarked, the corners of her mouth turned up.

Why did she want Ladybug to believe that her powers were bad? Why had she sent her and Chat Noir into the past to show them every time they've failed? Because she wanted them to believe that life without magic was better. That the lives of everyone in Paris would be better without them. She looked back down at the kwamis. With every trip that they had taken, they subtly started to believe that life without powers would have meant that nobody suffered. That there would never be any pain if their miraculouses never existed. And it was taking a toll on their kwamis.

"What happens to them if we start believing that life would better without them?" Ladybug's voice shook, she sounded both sad and scared.

She already knew the answer.

"They disappear, ceasing to exist." Ariana explained, placing a hand on top of the case holding the two kwamis. "Every other kwami will disappear too, including Hawkmoth's, meaning that he will never be able to do harm ever again."

"But we won't have our powers anymore." Ladybug fumed, she was so angry that Chat could see the veins throbbing in her neck. "We won't be heroes anymore."

"You also won't be able to hurt anyone anymore." Ariana told the young girl. She then looked over at her son, she couldn't see his eyes beneath his mask, but she didn't have to. She knew that those green eyes that she gave him were filled with nothing but hatred towards her. "I think it's time that the two of you went back to your cells."

And with that the two teenagers were hauled away by guards. They walked side by side, the soldiers cutting off circulation in their arms. The walked down the long, narrow corridor and down the stairs. Their footsteps echoing off of the walls as they did. Right before the guards opened the door to the prison, Ladybug spoke up.

"Can I use the bathroom?" She asked.

The two guards looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"That is the oldest trick in the book." One of them replied, his deep voice booming.

"Please?" She begged. "You know that at a certain time of the month girls-"

The guard's eyes widened, he loosened his grip on the girl, as though he were appalled to even touch her. Ladybug was suddenly very thankful that men were so grossed out by natural feminine cycles. The second guard gave the first one a look, causing the first one to roll his eyes and grudgingly tighten his grip on Ladybug.

"Okay! Okay!" The guard exclaimed, his face turning bright red. "Just don't try anything."

The guard began to haul Ladybug off in the opposite direction, she locked eyes with Chat Noir and winked at him, to which he subtly nodded. The guard took her to a restroom just down the hallway from the prison, next to a door with a large "Keep Out" sign hanging on the door. It was a one stall restroom with all of the essentials, plus a large mirror. Marinette looked at herself in the mirror, taking the mask off of her face for just a moment. Her bluebell eyes still had the same sparkle in them, even though her hair was greasy and her face was oily. She ran some cold water and splashed it onto her face, the closest thing to a bath that she had in days. She placed the mask back on her face out of habit, even though she wasn't sure who she was hiding her identity from anymore. It might have been Chat Noir, it might have been herself.

The lab assistants had to have extra toiletries lying around in the bathrooms, or at the very least something that she could use to help her and Chat Noir escape. She looked around the restroom, and wondered where would she put her supplies. In some sort of cabinet. She checked under the sink, but only saw extra rolls of toilet paper. She couldn't fight anybody with toilet paper. Where else could she look? The trash bin? No, that was too gross. She looked at herself in the mirror again, and it hit her. She pulled on the side of the mirror. Yes! The mirror doubled as a cabinet. There wasn't much on the first shelf, toothbrushes and toothpaste, she wanted to use this stuff so badly. She could feel a layer of grime resting on her tongue and it was disgusting. There was body mist, that could really hurt if you sprayed someone in the eyes. She stuffed it into her bra, hoping that the guard wouldn't notice the sudden bulge. Nail polish, nail polish remover, some tweezers, a pair of beauty scissors. The beauty scissors were tiny, but sharp, if she aimed for the jugular she might stand a chance. The second shelf was filled with scented candles, the kind that her mother practically collected. Candles, that meant that there might be something to light them. Marinette was short, she had to climb onto the sink to reach the third shelf, and even then she couldn't see what was there. She had to feel around with her hand. Her hand gripped something small and oddly shaped, she pulled it down from the shelf. A lighter, that would go well with the body spray. She felt around again, grabbing some dental floss, which could potentially be used as a garrote as a last resort. She turned the dental floss round in her palm, she decided that it was too flimsy to be of use to her and put it back.

"Are you alright in there?" The guard asked, knocking on the door.

Marinette quickly shoved the lighter into her bra next to the body spray and slipped the beauty scissors up her sleeve. Then she flushed the toilet and opened the door to see the guard still standing over her. He took her by the left arm, the one without the scissors hidden in her sleeve. Big mistake. Before they could reach the door to the prison, Marinette quickly looked around the hallway to make sure the coast was clear. When she saw that they were alone in the hallway she gripped the scissors hidden in her sleeve. She wasn't in the best position to stab the man's jugular, but in the perfect position for the femoral artery in his thigh.

"Sorry." She whispered, before jamming the tiny scissors into his thigh as hard as she could.

The man fell to the ground, screaming in pain.

"You bitch!" He exclaimed.

He was about to reach for his walkie talkie. As much as she wanted the man to live, she wanted to live too. So she used all of her might and violently kicked the man in the head, knocking him out. She searched his belt, grabbing his walkie talkie, just in case he woke up, and the keys to Chat Noir's cell. Then she saw the gun. She looked at it for a moment, imagining feeling its weight in her hands. She would have some advantage if she used it, but then again, she was better than that. They both were. So she left the gun behind and headed towards the prison. The guard who escorted Chat Noir to his cell was standing outside the door. She had to sneak past him somehow. No, there was no sneaking past anyone, she had to take him down.

She crouched down, sticking to the shadows, hoping that he hadn't noticed her yet. She wasn't dead yet, so she assumed that he was unaware of her presence. She took the lighter and the body spray out of her bra and prepared herself for what would hopefully be a short battle. She readied the flame, which flickered and danced but the light was no match for the fluorescent hallway lights. She uncapped the body spray, but accidentally dropped the cap, giving away her location.

"Hey!" The guard yelled, reaching for his gun.

Marinette didn't think. Her survival instincts kicking in. She jumped in front of the guard, spraying body mist onto the flame, sending a wave of heat towards the guards face. She leaned away from the flame and shut her eyes tightly as the guard screamed and cried, his flesh being burned off. She didn't look, she didn't want to look. She just screwed her eyes shut as the man howled in agony. She only stopped when he ceased his screaming and fell to the floor. She put a hand over her mouth, lightly tapping the man with her foot. He didn't move. Oh God, he wasn't moving. She began to hyperventilate, she stood frozen in place, looking down at what she had done. She tried to force herself to move, she knew that she didn't have time for this. She took a deep breath, she could question her morality later.

Self defense. She told herself as she pushed open the door to the prison. This is all self defense.

She ran over to Chat Noir's dirty little cell, the masked boy had his head sticking out through the bars. He smiled when he saw her as she rattled the keys to his cell in her hand, as if she were ringing a bell. The lock ticked and clicked as she turned the key. He jumped up in excitement and slid the door open, the metal rattling and clacking as it did. They were both filled with joy and embraced each other tightly. Neither of them wanted to let go, both of them smiling uncontrollably. The hug only lasted for a moment, they both knew that they didn't have much time.

The two of them ran out of the prison, navigating as carefully as they could through the corridors, trying their best to stay in the shadows. They creeped up the stairs, making sure to be careful that their wasn't any noise or echo as they made their way up the stairs.

"So how did you sneak past them?" Chat Noir whispered as they approached the second floor.

Ladybug noticeably stiffened. She took a deep breath, she didn't want to think about what she had done. But, if there was one person that would ever give her the forgiveness that she needed, it was him.

"I stabbed one, and burned the other's face off." She confessed, unable to look the boy in the eyes.

A small gasp threatened to escape his lips, so he bit his tongue to avoid making any noise. He knew that she was strong, even without her powers. She had a strong will and she also had a heart of gold. He knew that she wouldn't have hurt anyone unless there was no other choice. He understood. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him. She could tell that he was surprised. He smiled at her, but as much as she wanted to, she couldn't smile back. He leaned in towards her ear.

"I understand why you did what you did." He whispered, his breath tickling her ear. "Thank you for saving my life."

He moved away, but she wrapped her arms around his neck, forbidding him from pulling away. She knew that they didn't have time for this, however they may not make it out of this alive. She looked at him, her blue eyes locking with his green ones. She pulled him closer and placed a small kiss on his lips. He was caught off guard, but he close his eyes and snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. A spark of electricity coursed through both of their bodies, a warm fire blazed within the both of them. The closeness that they felt was comforting and warm, a connection that ran deeper than anything in existence. And it was over in just a few seconds.

"Wow." Chat breathed, staring at the girl in front of him as though she was the universe.

They smiled at each other one last time before opening the door to the second floor, expecting to see a group of guards, or at least someone. But there wasn't anybody, the hallways were desolate. And it was weird. They creeped down the hallway, towards the laboratory where their kwamis lay helpless in a jar. Hopefully they would save them before it was too late. They watched from around the corner as assistants hustled in and out of the laboratory, the doors swinging and slamming behind them. Most of them travelling across the hall, to another laboratory.

"What do you think is in there?" Chat Noir whispered, pointing to the second laboratory.

Ladybug shook her head, they didn't have time for this, but curiosity slowly overtook her. Ariana had captured her, Chat Noir, and their kwamis. What if Tikki and Plagg weren't the only kwamis captured? She had been worried about Paris, and if Hawkmoth had sent any akumas to terrorize Paris in the last couple of days. But maybe Hawkmoth wasn't there. She had to know if her hunch was correct. She pulled the lighter and body spray out of her bra and handed them both to Chat Noir.

"You can handle getting our kwamis back on your own while I check it out?" She asked.

He hesitated.

"Those were in your bra?" Chat nervously asked.

Ladybug rolled her eyes and shoved the body spray and lighter into his hands.

"Dork." She muttered under her breath.

A large group of people in lab coats exited the laboratory with the time machine in it. One of them opened the door to the second laboratory and yelled something about lunch to the scientists in the second lab. Lunch. That made both of the teen's stomachs growl. They couldn't help it, they couldn't remember the last time either of them had a real meal. The scientists cleared out of the hallway, leaving the two masked teens all by themselves. They made their way down the hallway.

"Good luck." She whispered as they parted ways.

"You too." He whispered back, carefully pushing the door open. He peered into the room to make sure that nobody was in there before disappearing behind the door.

Ladybug put her ear up to the door to the lab. Listening to make sure there was nobody there. She cracked the door open ever so slightly. The room was dark, there was only one light, turned low and flickering. Maybe she should have let Chat take this room, he was the one with night vision. She sighed quietly and entered the room. There was medical supplies everywhere, she quickly grabbed a syringe filled with a clear liquid and a small knife used for surgery. She held the syringe in her hand and tucked the surgical knife into her bra. There was a bed in the room, a figure was laying on top of it, attached to an IV which beeped with every beat of the person's heart. She saw a small glass casement, with a tiny purple kwami fast asleep inside.

Hawkmoth's kwami. Her suspicions were correct. Had he been sent back in time too? Had he seen all of the terrible things that he had done? Did he feel any remorse? She slowly stepped towards the cot, scared that she might wake whoever was sleeping inside. She gripped the syringe in her hand, her grip was so tight that her knuckles turned white. She slowly and carefully pulled back the blanket, making sure that she wouldn't make a sound.

What she saw made her gasp, nearly dropping her syringe in the process. She knew the man lying in the bed. Before, she had only ever seen him through a computer screen or in pictures. If he had been conscious, and she had been anywhere other than a laboratory in the middle of nowhere, then she would have been honoured to meet him. But in that moment, she could hardly comprehend what was happening. She wondered if she had been mistaken.

The man lying in that bed…

It was Gabriel Agreste.

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 **Poor Adrien, both of his parents are off their rockers...**

 **Plus Marinette being a badass mf because I love her.**

 **See you next update!**


	13. Eternity

Eternity

 **Revelations! Dun dun dun! I don't own MLB, but I did write this story. This chapter was written weeks before the origin episode, so some things are completely my imagination and are not cannon at all.**

 **This was supposed to be up earlier today, but then I went out and then I forgot... Sorry.**

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Ladybug slowly backed away from the cot, gripping the syringe tighter in her fist. There were so many questions running through her brain. Was this even real? Was she having another nightmare? Her dreams had felt a lot more real since she and Chat were kidnapped. It had to be. Any second now she would wake up on the hard floor of her cell and all of this will go away. She shut her eyes tightly, counted to ten, and then opened them. He was still there. This was one of the greatest fashion designers in all of Paris. He couldn't have been one of Paris's greatest villains too, could he? Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth. But of all the thoughts that clouded and invaded her mind, one stood out.

Did Adrien know?

He couldn't have known. There was no way Adrien would ever condone this, he was too sweet. It wasn't in his nature to keep something like this a secret. Goodness she missed him. She missed his green eyes and his golden blonde hair. She missed his smile and the way he laughed. She missed how he was always there for his friends, he was always caring for others. Her heart fluttered and sank when she thought about him. That's when another thought invaded her mind.

She kissed Chat Noir.

It was only a quick peck. But she couldn't deny that she had done it for a reason. That it had meant something. She felt a warmth fill her chest at just the thought of him. She knew in her heart that a small part of her would always love Adrien. But she and Chat had a stronger connection, they knew one another better than anyone else.

She stared down at Mr. Agreste one last time. She was about to turn away when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Without looking, she grabbed the hand and twisted it around, bringing the figure to their knees, she lifted the syringe, ready to strike, when she recognized the face of the figure. He looked up at her with those big green eyes, he wasn't afraid or intimidated, he smiled at her as if he was just happy to see her. His ring had been returned to his finger, but he wasn't transformed. He was wearing one of the white lab coats that the scientists in the lab wore, he had another tucked under his arm, presumably for her.

"It would be a cat-astrophe if you hurt me. M'Lady." Chat slyly remarked.

"Well I found a bigger cat-astrophe." Ladybug replied, helping the boy back up on his feet.

"You can't use my own pun against-" He began, but then Ladybug turned around and looked at the patient sleeping in the bed.

Chat Noir's heart immediately sank in his chest, his smile faded, replaced with confusion, sadness, and rage. His face turned red, his knuckles turned white, he shut his eyes tightly and prayed that this was only a nightmare. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. No, he refused to believe it. Why was his father lying in a bed in a laboratory? If Ariana cared at all about her husband then why didn't she just go back to him like a normal person? Why go through the trouble of kidnapping him too? Then his eyes travelled to the case, where a purple kwami slept soundly, its tiny chest rising up and down as it drew breath. His heart managed to sink further down into his stomach. His entire body shook in anger. He was never there for him, he kept all of these secrets, about his kwami and about Ariana. He was Hawkmoth, he spent years trying to kill the both of them. He lied to the world, he lied to his family. Adrien wondered if anything this man ever said to him was the truth. His father never cared about him, his mother never cared. Nobody cared. Except-

"Chat?" She asked, placing her hands on his shoulders. Head tilted up at his, finding his eyes beneath the plastic dollar store mask. "Are you alright?"

He looked down at her. Her eyes were filled with concern and kindness. She cared, she cared about him so much. He could deal with his mother being an insane kidnapper, his father being the biggest threat to peaceful Parisian life, and every other screwed up thing in his life, as long as she was there for him. She was the anchor that kept him from floating away, she was the light at the end of a dark tunnel, she was a fire burning bright. She was a beautiful, destructive force of nature, a hurricane, a storm, a tidal wave. But she was also the wind, the air, the water, she was all the things he needed to live. She was a force to be reckoned with. She was rebellious and strong. If it were not for her he didn't know where he would be. That is what she meant to him.

"I'll be okay." Chat smiled at her, hoping that he could believe his own words. He handed her the lab coat that he had tucked under his arm. "Put it on, it's the purr-fect disguise."

Ladybug complied, slipping on the white coat over her baggy jumpsuit. The sleeves were a little bit long for her, so she rolled them up. She was about to shove the syringe into her pocket when she noticed a tiny little bulge. She opened the pocket and gasped. Inside was her miraculous and the tiny red kwami who powered it. Tikki looked up at her with big black eyes and a small smile on her lips.

"Tikki!" She exclaimed, scooping up the tiny kwami with her free hand, lightly kissing her tiny head. "I missed you."

The little kwami smiled happily, glad that Ladybug was alright. Ladybug placed the tiny kwami on her shoulder, shoved the syringe into her pocket, and stuck her earrings into her ears. She picked up Tikki again and gently stroked her small head.

"How come we don't have a relationship like that?" A tiny voice asked.

Ladybug looked to see Plagg's little head poking out of the pocket in Chat Noir's lab coat. Chat Noir rolled his eyes, but he couldn't deny the small smile that made it's way across his face. Plagg and Tikki were still extremely weak, neither of them had the energy to fly, let alone transform either of the teens.

"Nice masks by the way, get them at the dollar store?" Plagg continued.

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh, as if they were just now realizing how ridiculously tacky those plastic metallic masks looked on them. Tikki smiled with the young heroes, but her smile immediately faded when she laid eyes on Gabriel Agreste.

"So that's Hawkmoth?" Tikki pointed at the man sleeping in the cot. He seemed to be in a comatose state, his vitals stayed constant.

"So that means…" Plagg and Tikki made eye contact, she looked down and nodded.

They both turned their attention to the purple kwami in a similar casement to the one they had been stuck in while inside the lab. It didn't move or stir, it just slept soundly in its cage.

"Falla." Tikki whispered, looking sadly at the caged kwami.

Ladybug walked closer to the casement and Tikki got a look at her sleeping friend. The look on her face was bittersweet. She wasn't happy but she wasn't sad either. Suddenly the tiny purple kwami turned over in its sleep and Tikki let out a small gasp, suddenly terrified of waking them.

"You still care?" Plagg yelled, Chat brought the tiny sprite closer to the casement to join his sister. "After what she did?"

Tikki looked at her brother and then back down at her sleeping friend. She knew that Plagg still hated Falla, he had a right to. But they were once best friends, you don't abandon a friend. Even after ten thousand years.

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other, then down at the kwamis in their hands. They knew that there was a lot that they didn't know, about miraculouses, about their pasts, about Tikki and Plagg. Being Ladybug and Chat Noir was suddenly so much deeper and darker than it was a few days ago. Now they knew about the past. They knew about all of the terrible, destructive things that they had done. That was all that Ariana showed them, death and despair. She had chosen not to show them the good.

Ladybug took a step back from the cage.

"We should go." She said meekly, placing Tikki on her right shoulder.

Chat Noir nodded. He took one last look at Gabriel before turning to walk out the door. He still could not believe that it was his father. Fathers are supposed to be caring and protective of their children, they were supposed to raise them and be there for them. He always knew that his mother's disappearance took a toll on his father. But now he knew, every missed meal, all of the long nights he spent in his office, all of those times he wasn't there. He was akumatizing people and trying to steal his and Ladybug's miraculouses. He wished that he could have seen it coming sooner. He wished that he could have helped his father when he was going through a hard time. He wondered what would have happened had his mother stuck around just a little bit longer. Would he have used his powers for good? Would he have any powers at all?

Perhaps it wasn't wise to dwell on the past. If either of them had learned anything in the last few days, travelling through time, it was that if you keep looking back then you will never move forward. And it wasn't wise to dwell on the future, because then you will never learn how to live for the day. Everyone has little things that they hold onto, afraid to let go because they don't want to fall. And there they were, standing on the edge, ready to let go. Hopefully.

"There's a break room down the hall," Chat Noir told her. "I saw a bunch of the scientists going in there earlier. We can get our kwamis something to eat there."

Chat Noir began to leave, but Ladybug grabbed him by the arm, spinning him around to face her.

"If-" She started, biting her lip and taking a deep breath. "If we go in there with these masks on and someone sees us then our cover will be blown."

Chat Noir nodded as if he understood. Slowly placing his hand at the side of his face. His fingers grazed the cheap material, it was smooth in texture but also soft and flimsy. He watched as she slowly raised her hand to her face, following his lead. They were both incredibly nervous, and Chat found it nearly impossible to contain his excitement. He was finally going to know who the most important girl in the world really was.

"On three?" He asked. Ladybug nodded.

"One." She counted.

"Two." He continued.

"Three!" A third voice interrupted.

Both teens immediately ceased their actions, their hands dropping to their sides, and stared at the source of the voice. Standing in the doorway, with a gun pointed at their heads, was Ariana.

* * *

 **It's short, I know and I am sorry.**

 **By the way, I named Hawkmoth's kwami BEFORE the origin, I know that his kwami is named Nooroo, I know that Nooroo isn't a girl, don't murder me.**

 **I don't feel like going through all twenty chapters and changing her name, plus I already wrote her backstory. I'm not changing an entire plot for the sake of cannon. So for this story Hawkmoth's kwami is a girl and her name is Falla because the Italian word for butterfly is farfalla.**

 **See you in the next chapter!**


	14. Rebirth

Rebirth

 **It's about to go down. I don't own MLB, but I did put long hours into writing a fanfiction for it.**

* * *

She looked at them, eyes filled with a fiery rage. There was no look of disappointment, sadness, or remorse on her face. The metal was cold and soft in her hand, the weight in her hand felt right, it felt powerful. She stood in front of them, the barrel of the pretty black toy in her hand pointed at them, more specifically at Ladybug. Her finger wasn't on the trigger, yet. Chat Noir instinctively stood in front of her, silently praying that Ariana wouldn't shoot her own son.

"You could have made it out of this if you behaved," Ariana scolded, moving closer to them. The barrel of the gun just inches away from Chat's chest. "If you had just let us destroy those things."

She pointed at Tikki and Plagg, who were both rather offended at being called things. Both Chat Noir and Ladybug knew from the start that they weren't going to cooperate, they weren't going to destroy the best thing in their lives. They couldn't stand the thought of not being heroes, of never being reborn again, of their connection being severed. They were prepared to risk everything to protect what was theirs.

"But you," Ariana pointed the gun towards Ladybug. "Have proved that you can be just as destructive without your powers. Didn't you think about those soldiers? They were people, they had families."

Ladybug shut her eyes tightly. Of course she thought about what she did to them, it was eating away at her slowly on the inside. She thought about their families, wives and little children, mothers, and siblings. If those soldiers didn't live, then their families- She didn't even want to think about that. Her body felt cold, frozen like a winter's day, her heart was filled with remorse. She was responsible for everything that happened. She injured, maybe even killed, those two soldiers. And they weren't the only lives she had taken. She was the iceberg that sunk the Titanic, she was the volcano that destroyed Pompeii, she may as well have been the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs, she was chaos theory. She felt terrible for everything that she had done, but she couldn't change the past. She knew that everything that happened was all meant to be.

"And you," Ariana pointed the gun at Chat this time. She looked him dead in the eyes, her voice cold and smug. "Could have had your father back."

Chat's eyes widened, then he immediately shut them tightly. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. If his father didn't have his miraculous what would his life have been like? Would Gabriel have more time for his son? Would they actually have a decent relationship? Chat shook his head, this was no time to think about what might have been. What happened was meant to be, and they had both made the right decision.

Ladybug looked at Chat, confused. Ariana mentioned Chat's father. Chat had talked about his father when they were stuck in their cells, all he told her was about how he was never around. She knew nothing about Chat's father other than that. She looked at Gabriel's sleeping form for a moment and thought about Adrien. Where did her blonde classmate think his father was right now? Fashion show? Business trip? Whatever Adrien thought, he knew that he wouldn't think anything of his father's mysterious disappearance. Her attention turned back to Chat and Ariana, her green eyes looked familiar, like she had seen those eyes before. That's when the pieces slowly started to come together in her mind, they weren't quite connected just yet, but they were there.

"He wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you!" Chat raised his voice in rage, stepping closer to his mother. The barrel of the gun was now touching his chest, sitting comfortably against his beating heart. "Your own husband."

Husband. Here. The blurred picture slowly started to become clearer. Ladybug's eyes slowly moved between Ariana and Chat Noir. Ariana looked so much like someone else that she knew, the same green eyes, the same golden hair, even the same nose and ears. Then she looked back at Gabriel again. How would Ariana even know where to find him? How did she know who he was in civilian form? Unless, of course, she knew him personally. Husband... If Ariana was Gabriel's wife and Chat's mother then that meant... That's when the picture became clear as day and her eyes widened in realization. No. They were too different, but at the same time they were too similar. He couldn't be… But there were too may coincidences. Could he?

"You never even told him why you left! You just did!" Chat continued his tirade, Ariana's expression turned soft and delicate. She still hadn't lowered the gun.

He was.

Ladybug let out a loud gasp and covered her mouth with her hand. There was no doubt in her mind now. Both Ariana and Chat Noir looked at her, but she was only looking at Chat, her sky blue eyes wide with shock. The look on his face only confirmed her suspicion. Chat Noir, her partner in fighting crime, her best friend, the person who she had gone to hell and back with, was Adrien Agreste. A million thoughts swam around in her head, Adrien freaking Agreste. The boy that she pined over for years, the boy that sat in front of her in class. He was the cat that had become her best friend, the boy who flirted with her relentlessly, the boy that she kissed in the stairwell. Holy fuck she kissed Adrien Agreste. Twice. They stared at each other for a moment in silence. Even though she didn't say anything he knew that she had figured it out. She smiled at him, one of those hopeful smiles that made him want to smile back.

"It isn't too late," Ariana broke their moment, reaching out with her free hand to touch her son's face. "We can finish this, all of this will go away, I can be your mother again."

Adrien's entire body shook with anger. He ripped the stupid little piece of plastic off of his face, the elastic giving away with a satisfying snap. He threw the mask onto the ground and crushed it beneath the sole of his shoe. He was done with this fucking masquerade. Done with always pretending to be someone that he wasn't. It was about time that he ditch the mask and figure out who he was and who he wanted to be. He looked at Ariana, she left him and his father. She was the reason he and the girl that he loved were being held at gunpoint. She was never his mother and she sure as hell wouldn't be his mother now.

"I will never do what you say." He raged, he felt the barrel of the gun poke into his chest with every breath that he took. "So go ahead! Shoot me."

Ariana only stared at him, an intense, bitter stare. Then, to Adrien's shock, she lowered the gun. His eyes widened, his heart pounded in his chest. He watched as his mother flicked the safety switch of the gun to 'on' with the tip of her manicured nail and shoved it into a holster on her belt. She sighed heavily as Adrien continued to watch her in confusion. Ariana looked down, as though there was something that she wanted to tell him, but she couldn't. Ladybug noticed this look, she didn't understand what it meant, but it probably wasn't something good. Ariana opened her mouth to say something, but Ladybug found her voice before Ariana could.

"She can't kill us." Ladybug intervened. "She hasn't gotten us to destroy our kwamis, meaning that the cycle will continue if we die and she will have failed."

Ariana looked at Ladybug, for a very brief moment the young girl saw a hint of gratitude flash over the woman's face, as if she was thanking her. Ladybug knew that that wasn't the real reason that Ariana hadn't shot them. Ariana knew that wasn't the real reason, and so did Adrien. But nobody said anything about it, they only pushed away the real reason. The real reason was far more complicated than Ariana's failure. So Ariana pursed her lips and faked a smile.

"Smart girl." Ariana remarked, a twinge of pain in her voice. "But I can do things far worse than kill you."

That sent shivers down Adrien's spine, and not the good kind. He didn't know Ariana, he didn't know what his mother was capable of. It was possible that she was capable of things that would make both him and Ladybug beg to be killed. She could make life for both of them a nightmare, he couldn't let that happen to his Lady. He didn't care what happened to him, they could beat him, torture him, and kill him. But dear god he didn't know what he would do if they hurt her when he could have prevented it. Life wouldn't be the same without her, it would be like erasing the stars from the sky. Then he had an idea. He reached into the pocket of the white lab coat that he was wearing. He took out Plagg and discreetly handed the tiny black kwami to Ladybug.

"Take him and run." He whispered to her. She nodded.

"Be careful." She whispered, shoving something into his hand as she left. The syringe, still filled with mysterious clear liquid.

He felt the weight of the weapon in his hand. He still had the body spray and the lighter tucked into the pocket of his lab coat, but he wasn't interested in burning his mother's face off, no matter how much he hated her. The syringe would allow him to wound, but not kill. Ladybug slipped out the door and disappeared into the hallway.

"Where is she-" Ariana began to follow the masked teen, but Adrien stepped in front of her.

"It doesn't matter," Adrien interrupted. "You're going to let all of us leave. Me, my father, and her."

Ariana didn't smile, she didn't look happy or sad.

"It's a shame isn't it?" She sounded menacing. "She never wanted to know who you were, and she never wanted you to know who she was."

Adrien gripped the syringe tightly in his fist, he gritted his teeth angrily. She was lying. She was trying to get him riled up, she wanted him to give in. She wanted him to feel like this so that he would destroy their kwamis. She doesn't think that. But... She kept her mask on... No. She wanted to know who he was now.

"How terrible," She continued. "She is the most important girl in the world, the love of your life, and you don't even know who she really is."

"Stop." Adrien whispered harshly, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. Most people would have stopped after hearing such a threat coming out of Adrien's mouth, but Ariana was a special breed.

"She is a goddess to you." Ariana marvelled. "And yet you are nothing to her. She didn't even want to know who you really were. She thinks that you are nothing but a sidekick that she never wanted, only saying that the two of you are a team in order to make you stay. You're a loser to her, you're nothing but a pathetic wimp."

"Shut up!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, all of his emotions finally boiling over, exploding into rage. His hand moved before he could stop it, he jammed the syringe into her arm, accidentally injecting her with whatever clear liquid had been contained inside. Ariana screamed at the sudden rush of pain. His eyes widened when he realized what he had done.

She had this coming. She knew nothing about him or Ladybug. She had no right to say all of those horrible things about her. Ladybug was the most important thing in the world to him, and he knew that he was important to her too. His Lady wouldn't have kissed him if he meant nothing to her, she wasn't that kind of person. Maybe she wasn't as in love with him as he was with her, but that didn't mean that he wasn't important to her.

He watched as Ariana pulled the syringe out of her arm, blood slowly trickling out of her shoulder. She inspected the syringe, noticing that the syringe was empty. Whatever had been inside was now injected into her body.

"Where did you get this?" She asked, her voice becoming slurred and her eyelids became heavy.

"Ladybug gave it to me," He explained. "I don't know-"

Ariana's knees buckled underneath her. Adrien caught her before she hit the ground.

"It was probably his next injection." Ariana slurred, shutting her eyes, her head slowly spinning.

Adrien looked over at his father, his heart monitor beeping in an even, constant, rhythm. What was she doing to him?

"Relax," She whispered. "It's nothing lethal."

Then her body became limp, and Adrien slowly lowered her to the floor. He stood up and began to leave the room, looking back at his parents, both of them were asleep. They could have been a real family. If only everything had played out differently. They could have turned out kind, and now he might never know. Adrien frowned and looked away, he left the room and shut the door behind him.

* * *

 **Marinette put the pieces together, next it's Adrien's turn.**

 **Keep on reading!**


	15. Intertwine

Intertwine

 **This one accidentally became fluffier than I meant it too... Oh well, enjoy the fuzzies. I don't own this show, I just wrote a fanfiction about it.**

* * *

Marinette sat at a small round table in the break room. There wasn't much there beyond a table, a few chairs, a counter with a microwave, and a refrigerator. The room was clean for the most part, except for the mountain of dishes that sat in the sink. She didn't like doing the dishes either. Plagg and Tikki sat in front of her on the table, munching on cheese and chocolate. She found herself a banana and a half empty jar of peanut butter, not the most filling meal in the universe but anything was better than nothing. She still wore her plastic mask to hide her face, but she knew that she wouldn't be wearing it for much longer. She couldn't believe that Adrien was Chat Noir. Adrien always seemed so quiet and reserved while Chat was loud and confident. Although looking back, there had been so many little clues that gave him away, like their allergy to feathers, or all of the excuses he would make up to leave in the middle of class or during a group outing. Small, innocent details of his true identity came to her in pieces, but it hadn't dawned on her until now. She supposed that she should have seen it earlier, they looked so much alike. She was definitely shocked, but also relieved. Chat Noir could have been a stranger, someone completely anonymous to her. But he was someone so important to her, so wonderful, that she fell in love twice. With two different versions of him. She was glad that Adrien was Chat Noir. She was glad to be with someone who she could trust, someone that she loved. Nothing would change the fact that she cared about him, even now that she knew his true identity. Identity. She guessed that they were all different people behind the mask. She used to think that everything that Ladybug was, calm, confident, fearless, wasn't her. That the perfect version of her. But in the end, Ladybug was still Marinette. Just like Chat Noir was still Adrien. Of course she was nervous about revealing herself to him, she didn't know how he would react. Hopefully positively. She took a deep breath and tried to remember that this was Adrien. They were friends. He wasn't going to reject a friend. She touched the mask on her face, wondering if she should take it off, but she decided against it. She should wait for Adrien, it was only fair.

"I can't believe it was him." She breathed. Tikki and Plagg looked up at the young girl.

"You're handling this much better than I thought you would," Tikki admitted, taking another bite out of the dark, creamy, chocolate. "I'm proud of you."

Marinette smiled and pet her kwami's head with the pad of her finger. Tikki let out a tiny giggle and smiled at her chosen. Marinette was also surprised that she was handling this well. At least, she was handling it well on the outside while simultaneously freaking out on the inside. Memories from all of their adventures together flooded her brain. Images of Chat Noir making puns and flirting with her were replaced by Adrien. Adrien freaking Agreste had been flirting with her for three and a half years. She took a deep breath, she had to remember that it was just Chat, he was still her partner and friend. She was still his partner and friend too, he wasn't going to think differently of her when he found out. Hopefully. She couldn't believe that she hadn't realized it earlier. Sure, she had thought about who Chat Noir might be behind the mask, but she had always assumed that the two of them didn't know one another in their normal lives. There were days when she thought that it was weird not knowing who one of her closest friends really was. But she never expected this, finding out that he was one of her school friends was definitely a shock.

"If you ask me it was about time you found out." Plagg remarked, his mouth full of cheese.

"I agree." Tikki replied. "Sometimes Chat Noir and Ladybug take too long to reveal their identities to each other, or they don't reveal them at all."

"We used to place bets on whether or not they would figure it out." Plagg told her.

"He usually lost." Tikki added with a sly grin, Plagg jokingly shoved her.

Marinette chuckled, Tikki and Plagg were just like human siblings. Seeing them tease each other made her heart feel heavy in her chest. She could only imagine what her parents were going through right now. She had been gone for at least a week by now. A week ago she left the bakery in the morning to go to school, just like she has done every day her entire life. The only difference was she hadn't come back. She felt bad for her parents, who had waited for their daughter to come home only to find that she was missing. She wondered if they were in mourning somewhere, looking at old photos of her as a child. And Alya, what was she doing at the moment? Probably doing homework and switching between checking the internet for Ladybug sightings and her phone for texts from her best friend who had seemingly disappeared. She couldn't wait to see them again, when all of this was over. She wondered what she would say when they asked where she had been. Maybe it was finally time to tell them that she was Ladybug. They were the people she was closest to, they wouldn't betray her trust. And she was helping people, so it wasn't like they'd be disappointed in her. Alya would probably crucify her for not telling her sooner. But she couldn't tell them, they would be in even more danger than they already were. So she began making up a mundane lie in her head, she would run it by Adrien when she saw him.

She wondered if he was okay, facing off with his mother. Maybe she shouldn't have left him all by himself. Maybe she should have stayed and helped him, found some way to take down Ariana together. She still had the surgical knife tucked into her bra, she could go back. However, something inside of her told her not to, that this was something between him and his mother. She just hoped that he acted rationally, unlike what she did to those poor guards. She silently prayed that they were both okay, however burning someone's face off and stabbing someone in an artery aren't exactly the best things to do if you want someone to live. Ariana was right, she had become just as destructive as the Ladybugs that came before her. But maybe Ladybug wasn't supposed to be perfect. Maybe she was supposed to have flaws, and lots of them. Ladybug was only human after all, and humans were meant to be imperfect.

She heard the door open and close, she spun around in her seat to see Adrien. He looked completely distraught, his beautiful green eyes were empty and emotionless. She didn't ask what happened, she only ran to him and enveloped him in a hug. She wrapped her arms around his chest, his snaked around her waist, pulling her closer. They both needed comfort, especially after what they had been through the last few days. Heck, even just the last few hours. They stayed like that for a minute, two broken souls in a broken world. They had both done terrible things, things that neither of them ever wanted to talk about. Things that they weren't proud of, that left them filled with remorse. But they would take from those experiences, they would learn and grow to become better people. They both pulled away from their hug at the same time. He looked down at her and smiled, he cupped her face in his hand. A deep crimson blush formed on her face, his hands were soft and warm against her skin. His touch was something so familiar, so comforting, it made her even more eager to show him who she really was. His thumb traced the outline of her tacky dollar store mask.

"You kept it on?" He asked, a small twinge of pain stinging his voice.

She placed her hand on his. A few days ago she would have been terrified to tell him who she really was. She was so scared that he would realize that Ladybug wasn't as perfect and magical as everyone thought that she was. That the girl he spent years practically worshipping would be a colossal disappointment to him. She was just a regular, boring, girl. But now she was confident that even without the mask, she was still Ladybug. She was comfortable telling him now. He was Adrien, her friend. He was going to accept both sides of her, love both sides of her, just as she loved both sides of him. Maybe if she had known it was him behind the mask sooner she would have been more eager to tell him. She may not be perfect, but she was still Ladybug.

"I wanted to wait for you." She replied with a smile.

With that smile every fear and doubt in his mind melted away. He lifted his hand from her cheek to her temple, running his finger over the plastic.

"May I?" He asked, even though he knew that he didn't need to.

She smiled again, her smile slowly growing with every passing second. She nodded her head and allowed the boy to pull the mask over her head. He took off her mask slowly, as though he were hesitant, yet ecstatic. His fingers brushed along her temple, sending shivers down her spine. He let the metallic piece of plastic drop to the floor with a soft plunk and looked at her. His eyes widened as he took in the image of the girl who stood before him. For a moment, his expression was completely unreadable as he stared at her in disbelief. She felt a sudden wave of discomfort and insecurity flow through her body, not knowing if he was disappointed or not. Her entire body began to shake with anxiety. Was he ashamed? Did he regret ever wanting to find out who she was? Did he regret kissing her? These thoughts and many more clouded her brain as Adrien stood like a statue, completely speechless. But then he smiled at her, his grin spreading from ear to ear, and all doubt in her mind washed away. Adrien could hardly contain the small chuckle that escaped his lips. He knew the beautiful girl standing in front of him. He knew her blue eyes and her sweet smile. He knew her laugh and the way she would tuck her ebony hair behind her ear when she was nervous. He knew her hobbies, how she loved sewing and drawing. Standing before him was the girl who sat behind him in class, one of his friends. And in that moment she never looked more exquisite to him.

"Marinette." He breathed, his soft smile never faltering. Her name rolled off of his tongue as if it were always meant to exist there, on his lips. He spoke her name as if it were a secret, or poetry, as if it were the most precious name in the world.

He pulled her into another long hug. His heart fluttered and flipped in his chest. He was incredibly happy that it was her, that she was his Lady. He couldn't quite describe the feeling that washed over him, the one that clouded his brain and made it impossible to think when he was with her. She was like a piece of art, something that is so special and precious that you can't help but look and feel. She was always helping people, she was one of the nicest girls that he had ever met in his life. He admired her courage, her desire to help others, her ambition. She was something that he would hold onto forever, something that he would never let go of. And he wasn't prepared to let go, not just yet.

"Get a room." Plagg teased, Tikki shot him a stern glare and Plagg rolled his eyes.

Marinette looked up at Adrien, her big blue eyes gazing amorously into his green ones. They smiled until their cheeks hurt. Their closeness causing blood to run to their cheeks. Luckily, red was a good colour on both of them.

"Hi Adrien." She finally said, whispering as if only he were meant to hear.

"I should have known that you were Ladybug." He grinned.

"We're completely different." Marinette told him, looking down at her shoes.

"No," He argued, his smile only growing. "You're both so considerate, you stick up for other people, you are both completely amazing. Plus, you look exactly the same."

"Yeah, that should have been a giveaway." She chuckled, any nerves that still lingered completely faded.

He was suddenly aware of her lips, pink and soft and just a few inches away from his, how easy it would be to lean in and close the space between them. His eyes travelled from her lips to her eyes, sapphire blue and had the ability to make him melt. Her eyes had just a flicker of anxiety in them, as though she wasn't entirely sure whether or not to lean in herself. She kissed him before when he was Chat Noir, kissing him as Adrien shouldn't be different. They were the same, and yet her stomach still filled with butterflies at the possibilities. Scratch that, the butterflies were pterodactyls. He needed to stop giving her that goofy grin, he was too irresistible. She felt his fingers graze her cheek, travelling along her jawline to her chin. Her entire face was as red as a tomato.

"Can I?" His voice shook. He was nervous too.

She tried to find her voice, but that had completely failed her. She couldn't speak, she couldn't breathe, she could only nod her head and smile uncontrollably. Then he lifted her chin with his finger and grazed her lips with his, placing a delicate kiss on her lips. Her lips were soft and she tasted like peanut butter. She leaned into him, deepening their kiss. They were melting into each other like ice cream on a summer day. The world stopped spinning beneath their feet as they forgot how to breathe, as if everything around them was frozen in time. The kiss quickly turned passionate, he hugged her waist tightly, feeling the need to be as close to her as possible. They started off slow, but soon became hungry and desperate, their kisses filling with greed. The outside world no longer mattered. All of their problems and troubles over the last few days completely vanished. The time travel, Ariana, fighting for survival. None of that mattered. Everything else melted away until there was nothing but that kiss and that moment.

They only pulled away when they ran out of air, still smiling and blushing like they were complete idiots.

"So?" He asked, gesturing to his face.

Marinette giggled, her high pitched squeal made his heart skip a beat.

"You're still a dork." She told him, her smiled only growing bigger. "And me?"

He paused to look at her, admiring her face and her smile. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on the side of her face. His gentle touch was warm and comforting.

"You're purrfect." He finally replied, his voice breathy as though he couldn't quite believe that it was her.

"Shut up." She laughed.

"Ahem." Plagg cleared his throat, snapping the two teenagers out of their bubble. He looked completely uninterested. "I hate to interrupt but Tikki and I are fully charged now and ready to go."

The two teens reluctantly let go of one another, smiles never leaving their faces. They knew that their next move would have to be getting Mr. Agreste and his kwami out of the laboratory. They also knew that the couldn't execute this mission in their civilian forms, Mr. Agreste would be suspicious if he saw his son here.

"Plagg." Adrien exclaimed, holding up his hand with the ring on it.

"Tikki." Marinette joined, her voice overlapping his.

"Transform me!"

* * *

 **I was going to write angsty reveals for this story, but then I decided that my precious cinnamon rolls have been through enough and they deserve some happiness. Maybe my next story will have an angsty reveal, idk.**

 **Hope you enjoyed.**

 **See you next time!**


	16. Bind

Bind

 **This chapter isn't my best, I tried... I don't own MLB, I just wrote a story about it.**

* * *

The flash of light engulfed both of their bodies in a warm, familiar, glow. Their entire bodies felt as though they had been transfigured, changed into pure light. Excitement buzzed inside of them, they felt like two balloons that were about to burst. Adrenaline coursed through their veins as they were transformed, hearts pounding in their chests. The change never felt so exhilarating, so thrilling. Not even the time they had first donned those red and black suits could rival this moment. Being Ladybug and Chat Noir again was an indescribable feeling, the suits were like a second skin, they felt as natural as breathing or walking. They moved with their bodies, the fabric felt like a warm hug on their skin. The costumes were comfortable, like your favourite sweater or a cup of warm hot chocolate on an autumn afternoon.

They turned to look at each other, Ladybug saw the familiar face of her partner staring back at her. She observed him for a moment, everything about him was exactly the same and completely different at the same time. He seemed to morph and change, becoming so much more than just her flirty, pun loving partner. He evolved before her eyes, growing and maturing. Both sides of him had a place in her heart, she cared deeply for all of him. He wasn't just Chat Noir anymore, he was more than that. She wondered if she was different to him too.

Chat Noir poked his head out of the break room door, carefully inspecting the hallway to make sure that there was no one there. He didn't see anyone, he didn't hear any footsteps, which was weird and a little bit eery. Usually there was some sort of noise, the whirring of machines, voices carried from other rooms, but there was nothing. He pushed the door open, stepping out into the hall. The floors and walls were white and stained only by dirt and the occasional cobweb. The harsh fluorescent lights flickered and burned their retinas. Ladybug followed him out, their shoes squeaking on the tile floor, a very annoying sound. They approached the door to the laboratory and pushed open the door together, revealing Ariana and Gabriel, both passed out. Chat stood over both of his parents. His heart felt heavy in his chest, he pressed his lips together tightly and forced himself to control his breathing. There was no use in feeling sad or sorry for them, they did this to themselves. He wondered what they would do if they could change the past. Would they have worked out any issues that they may have had? Would he have actually had a family? He forced himself out of his thoughts. Dwelling on the past wasn't healthy. What's done is done, there is no way to change it.

Ladybug rummaged through the desks, finding medicine, surgical tools, and medical journals. She decided to flip through the various notebooks and journals, they were her best shot at finding information on Hawkmoth- or Gabriel. Most of the notebooks were about testing for cures and experiments, they seemed to be in some foreign language. Well, it was French, but they were big science words that Marinette couldn't comprehend. A grey journal caught her eye, one with Ariana's name written in cursive along the front in black pen. Could be important, she tucked the journal under her arm. Beneath that journal was another, a green notebook bearing the words " _Ladybug and Chat Noir_." Curious, she opened to the first page. There was her name, written neatly at the top of the page.

 _"Marinette Dupain-Cheng. October 2, 1999- present."_

Beneath her name was Adrien's name, along with his birthday. Below their's, there was a name that she didn't recognize.

 _"Angela Foster. August 11, 1941- January 1, 1999"_

Angela. That was a nice name. She wondered who that was. Hopefully not a victim of some horrible experiments that happened in this facility. Only fifty seven, that was pretty young to die. She closed the journal, not thinking much of it. She tucked it under her arm with the other journal, they might need it later. She continued to rifle through the various notebooks until she found a white notebook labeled with Gabriel's name in swirly letters. She opened the notebook to the first page, when something fell out. The object danced to the floor, hardly making a sound as it touched the ground. She knelt down to pick up the object, turning it over in her hand. A photograph of a man, a woman, and a baby boy. The baby boy wore a party hat on his head, which was coated in a mop of golden blonde hair. The woman held the boy in one arm, the other arm around her husband. In front of them was a cake with a candle shaped like a one. A small gasp escaped her lips when she realized who it was.

"What is it?" Chat asked, hearing her gasp.

His eyes immediately darted to the photograph in her hand. Without thinking, he snatched the picture away from her and stared at it, his blood beginning to boil. He gritted his teeth together angrily, his free hand balled into a tight fist. Ladybug bit her lip, unsure of what she should do. Chat Noir slammed his fist on the steel table, the loud noise ricocheting off of the walls. The sudden noise made Ladybug jump, she had never seen Chat this angry before. She stepped closer to him, slowly reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder. He leaned against the table, her soothing touch allowed the muscles in his body to relax. He hung his head in anguish. His breathing became shallow, his eyes shut tightly. Why him? Why couldn't everything just be normal? Why couldn't his parents have just been there for him? They could have been that family that eats dinner together every day, or goes to Disneyland during summer break. Normal family things. Instead he had only half of a dad. But then there was the photo, Ariana holding him, his father looking at the two of them lovingly. They looked like a regular family. Why did Ariana even have that photo? She didn't care about him or his father, she only cared about herself and her messed up science experiment.

Chat felt Ladybug's hand slowly slip into his. He looked up at her, his eyes glossy with tears. She looked at him, her eyes filled with concern, her grip on his hand becoming tighter. She knew that there was no possible way that she could ever know what he was going through, but she would try. She would always listen to him and she would always try her best to help. He leaned down and rested his head on her shoulder, she comfortingly caressed his blonde locks. They stayed like that for a minute in silence, the only noise came from the beeping of the heart monitor that Gabriel was attached to. Chat eventually sighed and placed the photo face down on the steel table.

"I think that I'll be okay." He assured her, squeezing her hand tightly. "Now how are we going to get him out of here? Preferably without waking him up."

Ladybug flipped through the pages of the journal, most of the pages had little notes about his condition. Apparently, he had been in a medically induced coma for at least a week. Ariana and her assistants were mostly giving him anesthesia and a few other drugs that she didn't recognize, injected every six hours. She didn't think that there was a way to wake him up.

"Well first," She sauntered over to the cot where Gabriel lay, she carefully lifted up the arm with the needle stuck into it and slowly removed the steel instrument from his skin, the IV immediately let out a loud, long, beep. She unplugged the machine, as to not alert any scientists within hearing range of the annoying bleeping noises. Gabriel's chest still rose and fell with every breath he took, he was still in a deep sleep. "Grab a leg."

"What about me?" A tiny, high pitched voice yelled.

Both Ladybug and Chat noir stopped what they were doing to look at the source of the voice. The tiny purple kwami, sitting patiently in her casement, frantically waved at the two young heroes. Ladybug peered closer at the purple sprite, she carefully picked up the cold glass casement and brought it closer to her face.

"Hello." The kwami lilted, still waving her tiny purple arms in the air.

"Who are you?" Chat Noir asked, gently tapping the glass with his finger.

"My name is Falla." She trilled, twirling in her casement, her tiny purple wings fluttering gracefully.

"Tikki mentioned you." Ladybug told the small purple kwami, whose face broke out into a grin.

"Hi Tikki! I know you can hear me!" Falla shouted, waving enthusiastically.

Ladybug let out a small giggle. For some reason she thought that Hawkmoth's kwami would be more intimidating and less adorable. She looked at Chat Noir, who had a very impatient look on his face.

"Should we let her out?" Ladybug asked.

"No," Chat snapped. "What if she wakes Hawkmoth?"

Ladybug noticed how he said Hawkmoth. Bitterly, almost angrily. She also noticed how he hadn't said Gabriel's name. Hawkmoth being Gabriel Agreste was a foreign concept to the both of them.

"I don't have the power to do that." Falla replied, her tiny arms on her hips. "In fact, I have zero energy and I don't really have the power to do anything. Even if he were awake I wouldn't be able to transform him into Hawkmoth."

"It will be easier to carry her than the cage." Ladybug argued, trying her best to pry the top of the casement open.

Chat Noir rolled his eyes and grudgingly nodded. Ladybug opened the casement and freed the tiny purple kwami. She was too weak to fly, so Ladybug placed the kwami on her shoulder. She wondered who Falla was to Tikki and Plagg. If they were twins then what did that make Falla? A sister? A cousin? Was she even part of their family at all? She would have to ask Tikki once they were out of harm's way.

Ladybug grabbed Mr. Agreste's arms, Chat Noir took his legs. They carefully lifted the man out of the cot, he wasn't as heavy as the teens had anticipated. He looked skinnier, and not in a good way, he looked like he hadn't been eating for a lot longer than just one week. This made Adrien worried, his father hadn't been here for longer than they had but with the way he looked you'd think he had been lying in that bed for months. Chat Noir looked back at Ariana one last time before quietly opening the door that lead out into the hallway. She was still fast asleep, the golden necklace gleaming at her throat. He thought about when she would wake up, realizing that she was all alone, that everything that she worked for would be gone. This was her karma, and she deserved it.

The hallway was still fairly quiet, the only noise came from the hum of the air conditioner and their footsteps on the tile floor. Neither of them made a sound, just in case someone were to hear. Neither of them really knew where they were going or what their next move was going to be, but they knew that they would figure it out together as a team. Just as they were meant to since the beginning. They crept down the walkway, carrying the unconscious Mr. Agreste with them. The hallways were eerily quiet, as if they were all lone in the building. Why weren't there more soldiers or scientists? This wasn't as much of a challenge as they had originally thought it would be. The tried their best to navigate the labyrinth-like corridors, usually coming to dead ends or ending up wandering aimlessly in circles.

After a while, Falla got fed up.

"Oh for crying out loud," She exclaimed. "You have to go down to the basement and use the catacombs to get out."

"Sorry, what?" Ladybug questioned.

"This is a top secret research facility," Falla explained. "And the only way in or out is to use the catacombs."

The catacombs ran all over the Parisian underground, stretching to every corner of the city. It was mostly filled with bones, skeletons of people dating back hundreds of years. All sorts of ghost stories have come out of the catacombs and neither teen was prepared to explore that today.

"How do you know this?" Chat Noir inquired, his brow furrowed.

"I've been here before." Falla replied nonchalantly.

Both teens nearly dropped Mr. Agreste after hearing this new information.

"And you couldn't mention that twenty minutes ago?" Ladybug seethed, this kwami kept more secrets than Tikki and Plagg combined.

"I have to keep some things a secret." Falla trilled, twirling gracefully on Ladybug's shoulder.

Adrien could feel Plagg's anger and hatred for the little purple kwami. It was a different rage than the one he felt when he found out that his mother had kidnaped him, or the one that he felt after finding out that his father was Hawkmoth. Plagg's rage was different, it wasn't powerful or frightening, it was empty. In all of that hate, there was another emotion that Adrien couldn't quite place. Adrien wondered if Ladybug could feel Tikki's emotions, and if so what was she feeling? Was she feeling spiteful towards Falla? Or something else entirely?

The two teenage crime fighters descended the stairs, carefully making sure that Mr. Agreste wasn't going to fall on their way down. He felt heavier with every step they took, their arms felt weak and frail. They descended at least three flights of stairs before they reached the bottom, where a very creepy looking door waited for them. It was cold in the basement, and their suits did nothing to protect them from the frigid air. They both began to shiver and shake as they made their way to the heavy steel door that lead into the catacombs.

Everything was pitch black in the cave. The cold, unforgiving darkness was eery. There was no noise except for the gentle dripping of water coming from somewhere and the squeaking of rats. Ladybug began to shake even more now, the cold only playing a small part in her shivering. She couldn't see a thing, but Chat Noir was graced with the gift of night vision and right now that gift felt more like a curse. Everywhere he looked there were bones and spider webs, a group of rats were fighting over something and Chat didn't want to know what it was.

"There's a tunnel immediately to your left." Falla informed the two, her voice echoing and bouncing off of the cavern walls. "Go down the stairs and take the second right."

The teens obeyed the kwami's orders, turning towards the narrow tunnel that lead down into the darkness. Ladybug hovered at the top of the steps, looking down into the abyss. The tunnel was small and claustrophobic, the walls were slimy and cold. She saw nothing above or below her, she didn't know when to duck her head, or when to step down. She couldn't see Chat in the darkness either, but she knew that he could see her. She wondered what her face looked like to him. If she looked as though she was in distress, if she looked terrified. She began to feel her way down the stairs, her foot finding the first stair, then the second. Her grip on the unconscious man tightened, she looked behind her even if she only saw black and silently prayed that she wouldn't fall.

"Duck your head," Chat told her, his voice calmly soothing her. Even if he was just telling her to duck. "Can't have that purr-tty face of yours skewered by a stalactite."

She wondered if he could see her blush in the dark.

"Shut up." She replied, ducking her head as she moved past the rock hovering above her head.

She suddenly heard something loud echoing through the cavern, she immediately froze. Her entire body became stiff with fear as the noise drew closer. It was a scraping noise mixed with the occasional screeches. What if it was a ghost? An apparition of a life long forgotten. An echo of the past. Maybe it came to steal her soul, maybe it didn't want them to be in the catacombs. They probably disturbed its rest and now it would take revenge on them. She took a deep, slow breath and began to descend the stairs again. She wasn't afraid of ghosts, she wasn't afraid of anything.

She reached the bottom of the steps only to find herself knee deep in freezing cold water. It shocked her body, any remaining heat suddenly leaving her. She felt like she was standing in a tub filled with ice. She took a few small steps, the water splashing around her legs made her cringe with every step she took.

"Be careful." She warned Chat. "The water is freezing."

She heard a splash and felt a small wave of water rush past her. She couldn't see Chat, but she could only assume that he jumped in. She sent a harsh glare his way, knowing that he could see her. If she knew him he was probably giving her that cheshire cat smile, to which she rolled her eyes.

"Remember it's the second right," Falla whispered. "It's a bit of a walk, so you'll be walking straight for a while until you get to another flight of stairs, go up until you reach a trap door."

"Gotcha." Ladybug confirmed, nodding her head.

She felt along the wall for the second tunnel on the right, the cold water numbing her legs as she walked. The second tunnel was much wider than the first, but just as dark. While her eyes had adjusted to the darkness she could just barely make out the outlines of her surroundings. That's when the scratching and screeching noises came again. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment, trying her best to convince herself that it was all in her head. She felt an odd breeze on her back, which was odd because breezes didn't come from inside caves. The screeching and scratching noises grew louder and louder until they were right over her. She stopped in the frigid water, eyes shut tightly. It wasn't a ghost, it was something else.

"It's okay," Chat tried to comfort her. "They're just bats."

"Why doesn't that make me feel better?" Ladybug questioned, her voice came out more like a groan. She hated bats and spiders, all such creatures were terrifying to her. Luckily, there were tons of those in the catacombs.

She and Chat continued down the tunnel, the water gradually became more shallow until they were once again walking on the dry land. The bats continued to scratch and screech above their heads, they could feel rats rushing past their feet. It was enough to make the both of them recoil in disgust. The tunnel got narrower the farther they went. It got to the point where neither of them could extend their arms if they wanted to. It was a good thing that neither of them were claustrophobic.

"Where are these stairs?" Chat asked, after ten minutes of walking he had grown rather impatient.

"I told you it's a bit of a walk." Falla's high pitched voice rang out.

"How do we know that you're not trying to get us lost down here?" Chat inquired, venom stinging his voice.

"I know that Plagg doesn't trust me," Falla replied, he could practically hear her rolling her eyes. "But could you have a little faith?"

Chat mumbled something under his breath, something that Ladybug couldn't hear. She turned her head to where Falla sat on her shoulder, even though she could just barely make out the kwami's silhouette.

"You said that you've been here before," Ladybug curiously stated. "How? Why? Who brought you here?"

"He did, obviously," Falla replied, pointing to the unconscious man that Ladybug and Chat Noir were carrying. "We used to go to the research lab before his wife left, and once or twice after. I always assumed that she hid out there, that she used another entrance that I didn't know about to get in and out."

"Did he know?" Chat asked, part of him was intrigued, another part was angry.

"About what?" Falla inquired.

"About what she was doing." Cat Noir seethed, trying to keep his anger under control. "Did he know that we were in the lab too?"

"No, he didn't know anything, he's not even aware that he has been kidnapped." Falla continued solemnly, sitting cross legged on Ladybug's shoulder. Then her head perked up. "If he knew, then you probably wouldn't have your miraculouses right now."

Chat Noir and Ladybug nearly dropped Gabriel again, they paused in the tunnel. They were completely silent, the only noise came from the screeching bats and the squeaking rats.

"Why does he even want them in the first place?" Ladybug questioned. "He already has you."

Falla sighed, Ladybug and Chat Noir could practically feel the tiny sprite rolling her eyes.

"If one were to capture both of your miraculouses they would control all of reality," Falla told them. "Creation and destruction, you could create anything you wanted at will, you could have anything you ever wanted. Money, fame, the perfect life, the perfect world..."

Falla trailed off. Chat Noir looked down at his unconscious father. He already had all of that stuff, why did he need more? Was he simply being selfish? Chat Noir raised an eyebrow at the purple kwami in confusion.

"You could even rekindle a lost love." Falla finished, her voice a thoughtful whisper.

Everyone went silent after that, not because they had run out of questions, but because no one was sure of how to ask them. Both teenagers could feel something from their kwamis. Ladybug felt Tikki's sadness, and a tiny twinge of regret. Chat felt Plagg's anger and frustration, but also something else. Something that Plagg didn't want to remember, an emotion that Plagg wanted so desperately to forget. Whoever Falla had been to them in the past, she was important. They were at the base of the staircase less than five minutes later. Their feet were sore and they were breathing heavily. They huffed and puffed as they ascended the stairs. They were quickly discovering that climbing stairs while carrying an unconscious middle aged man was not an ideal scenario. Their muscles were aching and they wanted nothing more than to collapse in the cavern. The stairway going up felt twice as long as the one going down. At least the sounds of rats, bats, and other disgusting vermin were getting further away, that washed away any fear that was still lingering.

While Ladybug still couldn't see where she was going she noticed a small glow just a few feet above her. Daylight. It had to be. She started climbing faster, a sudden jolt of adrenaline ran through her veins, Chat could hardly keep up with her. She reached the top of the stairs and threw open the trap door to freedom only to find that the light she had seen wasn't sunlight at all. She was standing in a room, no, it was more like a storage closet. The room was filled with clutter, there were shelves lined with cardboard boxes and little knick knacks.

"Home sweet home." Falla trilled, raising her tiny purple arms up above her head.

"What do you mean home?" Chat asked curiously.

There was only one door, a door that Chat recognized. A door that was always locked. As a child he had often wondered what was behind that door, but he quickly lost interest when he grew up. But now he was even more curious than before. A storage closet, with a tunnel leading down into the catacombs. He opened the door and saw a room that he knew. A room with a dark wooden desk and a swivel chair, a large computer sitting patiently on top of the desk. Files spilled out of every drawer and a large binder lay open on the desk as if whoever was looking at it had magically vanished. The room made Chat feel uncomfortable, he had only ever been in this room when he was in trouble.

It was his father's office.

* * *

 **Looks like the mystery was under Adrien's nose the whole time. This chapter took a long time to write. I tried my best to make this readable, I really did... Le sigh.**

 **I decided that Adrien and Marinette were born in 1999, which would make them seventeen today (well, almost for Marinette...)**

 **I wonder why Plagg thinks that cheese is better than girls... Hmm...**

 **Until next time!**


	17. Everlasting

Everlasting

 **Another chapter for you, my friends! I hope that it is to your liking. MLB is not mine, I just wrote a fanfic about it.**

* * *

This was his father's office. In the mansion he called home. This was his home. His father had a gateway to the underworld, in his office, in his home. Well, Adrien had always felt like hell here, so he guessed that this was only fitting. He just couldn't believe that his father had kept so many things a secret from him. He hadn't trusted his own son with anything, he always had to do things without questioning, and he was tired of it. He really wanted to drop his father on his head in that moment.

"Put him in the chair." Falla suggested. "He'll wake up and think that he's fallen asleep at his desk again."

Ladybug looked from the little kwami, to the desk chair, to Chat Noir. He gave her a confused expression as though he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"For an entire week?" Ladybug raised a single eyebrow, Falla's plan seemed completely unbelievable.

"He's been forgetting things more and more lately," Falla told them with a shrug. "I blame age."

They carefully lowered Mr. Agreste into the dark grey swivel chair in front of his desk. His head bopped and his arms fell limp at his sides. He looked like a normal man, sleeping in his office chair. Falla hopped down off of Ladybug's shoulder and onto the wooden desk, making a soft plunk sound as she landed gracefully. She did a pirouette on the smooth cherry oak desk, but she stopped abruptly and look up at the teenage superheroes, a large frown on her face.

"So, what are you going to do now that you know?" Falla inquired, she sounded almost frightened.

Ladybug and Chat looked at each other. They hadn't really thought about what they were going to do next. They didn't have many thoughts beyond shock and rage. Everything was different now, their entire lives had taken a drastic turn in just one week. Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth. They knew that now. What would they do with that information? Confront Gabriel? Take Falla away? They had the option to do nothing, let Hawkmoth believe that they had never figured it out. But that wasn't a good idea, Hawkmoth could still turn people into monsters and would continue to cause chaos around Paris. He would continue to try and steal their miraculouses. Ladybug sighed and reached for the pin on Gabriel's jacket.

"It's our only option." She explained her voice sounded apologetic, Chat nodded in agreement.

Falla solemnly shook her head, yet she wore a positive smile on her face, she understood. They couldn't let Gabriel continue what he was doing, it would put everyone they cared about in danger. This might be the only chance to take his miraculous away without being forced to take any drastic measures. Ladybug turned the pin in her hand, it was smooth to touch, the silver gleamed when it hit the light. The two heroes looked at the little kwami sitting patiently on the table.

"What will happen to you?" Ladybug was almost afraid to hear the reply.

"Once you leave this office, my soul will go back into the pin, dormant until someone claims my miraculous," Falla replied. "Unlike your kwamis, I don't share a soul with anyone. I am not bound to Hawkmoth in the same way that Tikki and Plagg are bound to you. But if you don't want to risk my powers being used for evil again, I understand."

Ladybug and Chat looked at each other in confusion, then at Falla.

"I'll disappear if you stop believing, but that isn't the only way to kill me," Falla explained, her head hung sadly. She looked colourless and malnourished, she hadn't been fed in over a week. The little kwami looked at Chat Noir, a small bittersweet smile on her lips. "All you have to do is use your cataclysm on my miraculous and I'll be gone forever."

Ladybug gripped the pin tightly in her palm, she looked at Chat with wide eyes. He looked at her, almost sadly. Was he contemplating it? Was he considering killing the little kwami that brought fear and destruction wherever she went? He could feel an intense burning in his chest, Plagg's emotions, but he couldn't tell what the emotion was. Was he bitter? Confused? Resentful? Mournful? All Chat knew, was that he couldn't do it.

"No," He finally responded. "You helped us out of the lab, so this is how we will return the favor."

Falla looked at the boy with wide eyes, then a small smile appeared on her face.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Her eyes traveled to the digital clock that sat on the desk between a pencil holder and a small green lamp. She let out a tiny gasp.

"You better get out, and hurry," She rushed, she talked really fast for such a tiny little thing. "His son will be home from school soon."

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other for a moment, both biting their tongues to keep from laughing. At least Falla didn't know who they really were. Ladybug wondered what would happen when Gabriel woke up and realized that his miraculous and Falla were gone. Maybe he'd find more time for Adrien, now that he was no longer Hawkmoth. Another thought creeped into her mind, what were she and Chat going to do now? If Hawkmoth was no longer Hawkmoth, that meant that they didn't have anyone to defeat. Paris would be safe, they wouldn't need heroes anymore. She squeezed the pin tightly in her palm, the sharp points piercing into her skin. She looked at Falla again, she could feel Tikki's joy, it was oddly comforting.

"Thank you." Ladybug whispered to the little purple kwami.

Falla smiled at Ladybug one last time as the two left the room. The pin in Ladybug's hand began glowing a deep indigo, then the light faded, meaning that Falla was gone. Well, not gone, just sleeping peacefully until it was time for her to awaken again. The two heroes closed the wooden door behind them and leaned against the wall in exhaustion. The long nights that they had spent in those dark cells was starting to take a toll on them. In the last week, neither of them got much sleep, it wasn't exactly comfortable lying on the cold stone floors. There were bags under their eyes and their muscles were weak and limp. They made sure that there was no one around before releasing their transformations. Marinette and Adrien slowly slid down the walls until they were both seated on the floor. Marinette dropped the journals, which she was keeping tucked underneath her arm. They fell to the floor, paper scattering everywhere. She was too tired to pick them up. Tikki sat on her shoulder, while Plagg rested on Adrien's, he glared at his sister harshly.

"What the heck Tikki?" He practically screamed. "You know that she isn't to be trusted! You know what she did!"

"You knew her once." Tikki retorted. "You loved her once, remember that?"

Plagg looked down at the white tile floor, he pressed his lips together tightly. He was thinking about her, about who she had been before. An image of a girl flashed in his mind, a memory from ten thousand years ago. Her long black hair, her kind dark eyes, her sweet smile, her cheerful laugh. But then he shook his head, forcing himself into reality, an intense look crossed his face. She was dead. He had to remember that. She was gone forever, there was nothing left of her, that girl who existed thousands of years ago. Plagg took in a deep breath and looked back up at his sister, and the memory of a smiling girl was quickly replaced by a darker image. One of Tikki, screaming and crying, and then a lifeless body lying on the floor. He looked at the pin in Marinette's hand, where the girl he once knew rested.

"I'll never forgive her." Plagg replied, his voice suddenly lowered, he sounded angry and depressed. "Not after what she did to you."

Marinette and Adrien looked between the dueling kwamis. If they weren't so tired, they would have asked more questions. But the yelling was too much, their heads were pounding and they weren't in the mood to listen to the twins fight.

"Can the two of you solve your family matters somewhere else?" Adrien groaned.

Family. Marinette suddenly shot up from the floor so fast that she nearly lost her balance. She slipped the butterfly pin into her pocket and quickly turned to pick up the notebooks that she had dropped. Adrien eyed her curiously, slowly standing up himself, using the wall as support. He lightly touched her shoulder, her blue eyes were filled with worry.

"I almost forgot about my parents." She explained. She began frantically collecting the pages that littered the linoleum floor of the Agreste mansion. "I have to go home."

"I'll come with you." He told her. "Just in case."

She would have protested, but she knew that it was useless. He would start to protest, refusing take no for an answer, and she was too exhausted to fight with him.

"Thank you." She smiled at him gratefully and placed a delicate kiss on his cheek. He blushed and laced his fingers into hers.

They had both been through so much in the last week, but they went through it together. Their friendship, and their more than friendship, became stronger because of this. They still had a lot of questions, about Ariana, about their past lives, about Falla and Plagg and Tikki. The journals might give them some insight on what happened in the lab, and Tikki and Plagg could give them answers about the past. But they weren't entirely sure if they really wanted to know. Maybe the past was meant to be buried, maybe the past was supposed to stay there. Maybe there were secrets too dark, too grim, to ever be uncovered. Maybe Tikki and Plagg didn't want to talk about previous Ladybugs and Chat Noirs, or Falla, or the past.

It was a short walk from Adrien's home to the apartment above the bakery where Marinette lived. She was admittedly a little bit nervous to open the door to the bakery. She knew that she was going to be bombarded with questions, and she didn't know how she was supposed to answer any of them. Hopefully, Adrien would be some help. Her parents liked Adrien, which was good thing since they were more than just friends now.

She took a deep breath and opened the door to the bakery, the bell letting out a loud jingle to alert the employees of new customers. Marinette breathed in the familiar smell of cookies and cake, the sweets were heaven after barely eating anything for an entire week. Her stomach growled and roared angrily, begging her to eat everything in sight. A familiar face popped out of the kitchen. The warm eyes that tucked her into bed every night when she was a child, the eyes of her mother.

"You're back!" Sabine exclaimed, running to her daughter and hugging her tightly. "Tom! She's back!"

Marinette's father rushed out of the kitchen, his hands and apron were covered in flour. He enveloped his wife and daughter into a tight hug. Neither of them seemed mad, which puzzled Marinette greatly. They just seemed happy to see her. She was definitely taken aback by the lack of yelling. She looked at Adrien, whose green eyes were wide with confusion, he shrugged his shoulders awkwardly and smiled at her. He knew that his father would never have this kind of reaction if he disappeared for an entire week.

"How was London?" Her mother gushed.

What did her mother just ask her?

London? Where did her parents get the idea that she was in London? She was going to make up some blatant lie about what happened to her in the last week, only to find that said blatant lie had been made up for her. But she was too tired to protest, so she decided that she was going to go with it.

"Oh, great." She smiled, hoping that her parents couldn't see the confusion on her face.

"You have to tell us all about fashion week." Her father told her.

Huh. She went to fashion week. How could she have possibly landed that gig? She wished that she had actually been at fashion week instead of being in hell.

"Adrien," Sabine turned to the young blonde boy, who was trying his best not to giggle. "It was so nice of your father to invite Marinette to London with the two of you."

His father would never do that. Little did Sabine know that Gabriel Agreste had been stuck in the exact same hell that they had, except he was in a drug induced coma.

"Sorry that I forgot to tell you." Marinette rubbed the back of her neck.

"Oh, it's fine," Tom reassured her. "Mr. Agreste sent us an email explaining everything."

More like Mrs. Agreste sent them an email explaining nothing. But Marinette was slightly grateful to the bitch for having the decency to let her parents know that she was not dead, that they didn't have to worry about her.

"What was it like? Are you inspired to design something new now?" These and many more questions were suddenly thrown at her. Her head was starting to hurt again.

"I'll be happy to tell you later," Marinette explained, grabbing Adrien by the hand and trudging towards the steps that led up to her apartment. "Been awake since dawn, long flight, you know."

She was silently praying that her parents hadn't noticed her goof. A flight from London to Paris isn't long at all, probably about an hour and a half. She should have said train, even though it's not that much longer to take the chunnel. Crap, why had she said flight? Luckily, her parents hadn't seemed to notice.

"Of course," Sabine nodded, her smile only became wider as Marinette lead the young boy upstairs to the apartment. "Do you want us to bring up snacks?"  
"Yes please." Marinette replied, her stomach was still groaning in pain.

The two teenagers trudged up the steps to the apartment. Nearly collapsing on the floor when they walked through the front door. Marinette couldn't get the trap door to her bedroom open fast enough. She had seen some amazing things in the last week, the Titanic, Pompeii, but the greatest sight by far, was her bedroom. She never thought that she would be so happy to see those bright pink walls plastered with pictures of Adrien. She had completely forgotten about those. Her face became bright red. Adrien chuckled, finding her little crush cute, and collapsed on her bed.

"You have no idea how great it feels to lie in a real bed." He mumbled, a cute little smile on his lips.

She smiled at him and sat at her desk, laying the three journals that she had taken from the laboratory out in front of her. She took the butterfly pin out of her pocket and carefully placed the jewel inside of a wooden box she usually kept sewing supplies in. She wasn't going to risk someone stumbling upon the miraculous until she knew what she was going to do with it. She looked at the three notebooks in front of her, she didn't have very much use for the one marked with Mr. Agreste's name now. The other two however, would help her discover the past. She opened the one with her name on it, scanning the list of names written on the white pages.

"What are you doing?" Adrien asked.

"Looking at these journals." She replied, her head propped up only by her arm.

"No, you're exhausted, come here." He pouted, giving her those adorable puppy eyes that she almost couldn't resist. Almost.

"Nice try." She smiled in response, turning her attention back to the book.

"At least fluff my pillow for me." He continued to pout.

Marinette rolled her eyes and stood up from her desk.

"You are a child, honestly." She joked.

Before she could even touch the pillow underneath his head he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down onto the mattress. She squealed in surprise, Adrien thought that squeal was the most adorable thing he had ever heard. He hugged her close to him, their chests connected, she could feel the beating of his heart against her chest. He was looking at her lying next to him, his wide green eyes held the universe inside of them. He smiled at her, she joking glared at him and they both broke out into laughter. She snuggled into her pink comforter and sighed.

"You're right." She admitted. "Journals can wait. Bed feels amazing."

She closed her eyes, her body slowly relaxing into sleep. Within minutes she was snoring, her chest slowly rising and falling next to Adrien. He watched her for a while, her sleeping form lying next to him. She looked so peaceful, so happy, tranquil, and pure. She was the most amazing girl in the world. She was smart, she had the most wonderful personality. Her voice was like a song, and he could listen for hours. He hugged her, his forehead pressed against hers, he could feel her warm breath on his face. His eyelids slowly started to get heavier, and within minutes he too had fallen asleep. Right there in her arms.

* * *

 **It didn't really make sense for them to not take Hawkmoth's miraculous, I mean, he was unconscious and no one could stop them so...**

 **I meant to upload this earlier, but then my sister had to run errands and she wanted me to come with her and it ended up taking all day, so blame Alisa not Rosie.**

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	18. Eternal

Eternal

 **Fluff and flashbacks is an alternate name for this chapter. I wrote this story, but I did not write the show.**

* * *

It was dark outside when he opened his eyes, Marinette was still lying in his embrace, her eyes shut in a deep slumber. She looked so tranquil, so pure and calm. She was beautiful and brave, she was kind and considerate. Everything that he ever wanted was right there in his arms, and he never wanted to let go. He smiled and gently kissed the top of her head, careful not to wake her. He wondered what it would be like to wake up to this sight every day for the rest of his life. He knew that he shouldn't be thinking about that yet. They were only seventeen after all, far too young to think about life. Still he hoped that one day, when the time came, it would be her. She was his Ladybug, he was her Chat Noir. They loved each other and nothing would ever sever that, not even death.

He slowly lifted his head off of the pillow and glanced around the dark room. The only light was the moonlight shining through the windows, a big full moon hovering over Paris for the world to admire. He blinked a few times, allowing his eyes to adjust to the light. Plagg and Tikki were sleeping, curled up at the foot of Marinette's bed, and a plate of croissants was left sitting neatly on her desk. His stomach lurched at the sight of food, growling and hissing at him. He slowly untangled his arms from Marinette and quietly lifted himself off of her pink duvet. The wooden floorboards creaked beneath his feet as he tiptoed to her desk and picked up one of the croissants. Her parents must have brought them up earlier and left them alone to sleep, he wished that his family were like that. He bit into the croissant, which was soft and flakey, it crumbled and melted in his mouth. He sat at the pink desk chair and continued to eat, swiveling around in the desk chair as if he were a child.

He was about halfway done the pastry when his eyes landed on the three notebooks that Ladyb- Marinette had taken from the lab. One of the notebooks was lying open on the desk, bearing both of their names and birthdays. He picked up the one with his father's name, but inside there was nothing but medical mumbo jumbo. Then his eyes landed on the third journal. It was different than the other two, which were newer and held together by two measly staples. This one looked faded, old, tattered and ripped apart, the silver coil around the spine shone in the light of the moon. Her name was written on it in big swirly letters. Ariana. He contemplated it for a moment, feeling the weight of the object in his hands. He slowly turned to the first page.

 _"January 2, 1992._

 _First day back in the lab after winter break. I feel like I haven't done anything since last year, hehe."_

The words were neatly written in black pen. He had never seen his mother's penmanship before, it was almost creepy how similar it was to his own. How old had she been in 1992? Twenty? Twenty-one? The entire entry was just about some experiment that she was doing, something to do with quantum physics. Adrien didn't completely understand most of it, but he still hung on to every word of it. The words that his mother had written before everything went to hell. It was confirmation that she was normal at one point.

 _"May 11, 1992_

 _It's been exactly five years since my parents died. I miss them so much… I wish that I knew what happened that day… The police told me that they couldn't disclose anything, like there was some big secret. I just want some kind of closure, I want to know-"_

The sentence ended there, as if she couldn't bring herself to continue. Adrien ran his fingers over the words. There were dried up teardrops on the paper, which meant that she had been crying. If she was twenty in 1992, that meant that she lost her parents at fifteen. That was younger than he was now. He couldn't help but stare at the paper in the dim light of the moon. He wondered if Ariana had felt as broken as he did.

 _"May 13, 1992_

 _My friend Alexandra wants me to be her model for her senior project. I told her that I didn't feel comfortable wearing her design, especially at a fashion show with a bunch of people staring at me. But Alex_ _insisted, she said that she designed the garment with me in mind."_

He froze after reading that. He knew what happened after that. She went to the fashion show, modeled the outfit for her friend, and met the man she was going to marry. There were so many secrets hidden within these pages. Usually Adrien wouldn't bother continuing out of respect, but he had zero answers and this was the only way he could get them.

 _"April 18, 1992_

 _I have finals in a week and I have to take the time out for this damn fashion show. I really wish that I could bail, but Alex is counting on me and I'd hate to let her down."_

The next few lines are written in a different colour, as if they were written later.

 _"Well, I fucked up. I completely tore the seam at the waist of the dress a minute before I had to go on stage. And it was noticeable, like really noticeable. So I'm freaking out backstage when this tall, skinny guy with really great hair comes up to me with a belt and totally saves my ass. I'm meeting him for coffee tomorrow… I don't know if it's a date or not."_

It was.

 _"He's cute and sweet, I'd like to get to know him more. His name is Gabriel, he told me that one day he wants to have his own brand. He seems kind, so whatever happens to him, whether I get to know him better or not, I hope that he gets everything that he wants."_

He did. He got everything that he wanted. Well, almost everything. Adrien flipped through pages about science projects, and finals, and a rough draft for a resume. Then he came across something interesting. An entry that was written years after the last, the penmanship was only slightly different, a little more mature.

 _"October 11, 1996_

 _I found my old journal from college. Wow, I was a ditz back then… Aww, this is from the year I met Gabriel. Spoiler alert, I married him. He's doing great, he slowly got his designs out. Everyone in Paris loves the clothes that he designs, right now he's trying to get his brand out on an international level. We're both doing really well for ourselves, we're building a big house right in the heart of Paris, hopefully we can move in next year."_

Adrien flipped through pages of interior design stuff, he wasn't surprised that his parents had handled all of the decorating themselves. He skimmed over those pages, finding a few forgotten paint samplers that had slowly dulled over the years.

 _"March 28, 1997_

 _We moved into our new home today, it is absolutely gorgeous. There are so many rooms, almost too many. I don't know how I'm possibly going to fill all of these rooms…"_

There were a few paragraphs about the house, about the location, and just about Paris in general. Adrien smiled slightly. It was obvious that she was happy while writing this. But his smile faded when he turned to the next page.

 _"Gabriel had one last surprise for me. He built me my own private laboratory, one that no one can get in or out of unless they know the secret passage. There are two entrances, both of them are through tunnels in the catacombs… *shudders* hey, as long as it's private it's worth the walk through the creepy underground."_

Well, that explained the tunnel in his father's office.

 _"I've been doing some research and I think that I've decided on my next project. You see, I've been thinking about my parents lately, about the day they died. Ten years and I still don't know anything. So I decided find out what happened on the day my father went to pick my mother up from work and never came home. There was an incident at the hospital where one of the patients in the mental ward got loose and killed a bunch of people. Someone had come to stop them, a woman in a red suit. She managed to calm the mental patient, but she couldn't save my parents… Maybe if I could find her…"_

Adrien pressed his lips together tightly. Had they not been the first? Had Ariana met the previous Ladybug and Chat Noir? Did she experiment on them too? He looked back at Marinette, still sleeping soundly in her bed. She was safe, they were both safe. He forced himself to turn the page, terrified of what he might find on the other side.

 _"July 2, 1997_

 _I found her. Her name is Angela Foster, she and her husband, Danny, have these things called miraculouses that give them special powers. They used to be these heroes called Ladybug and Chat Noir, but have since become too old to continue fighting. They told me about the day my parents died, about something called an akuma, and how hard they tried to save everyone but couldn't. Then they started telling me about all of their adventures, about magic. I was so intrigued by what they were telling me. I want to know more. I'm going to invite them to my new lab, I'm going to be the first scientist to study these miraculouses. Who knows what mysteries hide beneath the mask."_

Too many mysteries to count.

 _"October 19, 1997_

 _Apparently, Angela and Danny are not the only people in the world who hold miraculouses. Some are good, others are not so good. These evil miraculouses form when a holder becomes corrupted, mad with power or pride. Apparently the more miraculouses that one possesses the more powerful they become, they could control all of reality, drive the world into chaos. I also found out that one of the not so good miraculous holders killed my parents. And these two strangers still put the lives of others before themselves. Angela and Danny have been putting their lives at risk since they were fourteen, they've never complained. They didn't have a choice, but they didn't care because they wanted to be heroes. I wonder what would have happened if they had refused to become heroes…"_

Adrien didn't read the rest of that page. He knew that heroism wasn't a choice, but it was given to people who were willing to take it on.

 _"November 11, 1997_

 _Angela introduced me to her kwami, Tikki, today, this tiny red fairy-like creature that looks like a little ladybug. She told me that she trusts me enough to keep her a secret. I decided to ask the creature some questions, who she was, where she came from, what her job was. I found out that she's ten thousand years old, that she has been with every Ladybug since the beginning. She also told me what Ladybug is, she is a single soul that has been reborn for thousands of years, Chat Noir is the same. Then I asked her if she was immortal. She said that she and her twin brother were powerful enough that they would always exist as long as Ladybug and Chat Noir wanted them to. That without the faith of their companions, they would disappear. My final question was whether or not Angela and Danny could remember their lives before, what they have done throughout history. They can't, but the kwami wishes that they could. That got me thinking, what if there was a machine that could restore these memories…"_

The machine, before it was a time machine it was something else. Something that didn't make others feel broken. With a machine like that you could remind yourself of when you were happy whenever you felt sad.

 _"July 2, 1998_

 _After months of testing, some very long nights, and countless attempts it's finally finished. The machine is fully operational and ready. Angela and Danny might be excited, but it's hard to read them sometimes. I know that Tikki is happy, she says that the more one knows about the past the more they can make things better in the future. I have to use the kwami's powers in order for the machine to work. They don't mind as long as they are fed afterwards."_

Adrien could imagine Plagg begging for cheese after one of Ariana's experiments, the thought made a faint smile return to his face. But the smile immediately fell once he turned the page. The next entry was different than the rest. The writing was shaky, as if she couldn't keep her hand still while she was writing it. Dried up teardrops were scattered on the page, which meant that something awful happened.

 _"July 3, 1998_

 _Something went wrong with the machine. I don't know how this could have happened. Danny wanted to try the machine first. So I flipped the switch and there was just a bright white light that blinded everyone in the room. I heard Danny screaming, and then the light faded. Danny was lying limp in the chair, he wasn't moving or breathing… I… I killed him…"_

Adrien stared at the page with wide eyes, willing the letters to change, to say something else. But they stayed the same. Ariana accidentally killed a man, and while it wasn't her fault it lead to severe consequences. And she had put him and Marinette in those seats. Did she not care if the same thing went wrong? If she accidentally killed Marinette? What was she going to do then? His eyes landed on the next entry, and his heart stopped as he read the first sentence.

 _"July 31, 1998_

 _I'm pregnant. I just found out today. I'm truly terrified, I can't believe this happened. I mean, I'm excited, but this is so unexpected. I don't know how I'm going to tell Gabriel. Sure, we talked about having kids, I know that he won't be unhappy with this new revelation… But there's something else… This baby is going to grow up to be Chat Noir. I know that he is. I haven't spoken to Angela yet… I know that she blames me. It's all my fault… Maybe I should return to the machine, make it so she can relive every moment that she had with him. She would never have to say goodbye."_

This was the day she found out about him. The day she found out that she was going to have a child. She somehow knew that Adrien was Danny's reincarnated soul, that her little boy would grow up to be a superhero. And she still left, she still wanted to get rid of his miraculous.

 _"September 20, 1998_

 _Tikki convinced Angela to come to the lab today. I told her that I fixed the machine, that I could show her memories of him, that she could relive the day they met, the day they got married, the birth of their son-"_

Adrien paused there. He had never considered that any of his past incarnations could have had children. That he could have descendants walking around somewhere in the world. That meant that he and Ladybug, in some other life, had um… fun… He took a deep breath and forced himself out of the thought. Forcing himself to continue reading.

 _"Angela agreed. She was so depressed, she wanted to see her husband again. She made sure that I knew that she wasn't doing this for me… I know that fact well. So she sat in the chair, and I flipped the switch. It seemed like it worked for a moment. Her eyes were closed in a peaceful slumber, her breathing and heart rate stayed constant. When she woke up she was screaming, her eyes held horrors inside of them, she jumped out of the chair and nearly fell over. When I asked her what happened, she said that the machine took her somewhere, but it wasn't a memory. She described a fourteen year old girl, another Ladybug she assumed, during the German invasion of France. She said that the young girl had been killed by Nazis… Angela was horrified. I assured her that I had just shown her the wrong memory. But Angela insisted that it wasn't a memory, that she was there and she watched it happen. Then she left, I watched her go knowing that I was never going to see her again."_

Angela went into the past. There was no doubt in Adrien's mind about that. He had assumed that he and Marinette were the first time travellers in history, but that wasn't the case. Angela Foster had time travelled before they were even born. She too saw a terrible past, a past where Ladybug died young because of some terrible event. A fourteen year old Ladybug, killed by Nazis. He lay the journal down on Marinette's desk for a moment and opened the notebook with their names in it. Sure enough, right below Angela and Danny, there was another name.

 _"Elizabeth Greenberg 1926-1940"_

Died defending France from German invasion at only fourteen years old and lost. What a terrifying way to die. Below Elizabeth's name was a boy's, Malachi Silverstein, also fourteen. He died a month later in a concentration camp. Adrien frowned and closed the notebook, it only made him feel depressed. He picked up Ariana's journal once again, skimming through the pages written in colourful ink. He skipped over a couple of pages, mainly made of baby name lists and best foods to eat while pregnant, he stopped when the year he was born caught his eye.

 _"January 1, 1999_

 _Bonne Annee! I started my year like I start every day, I picked up the newspaper and flipped to the obituaries. Usually there was nothing, but today there was a familiar name among the black and white photos. Angela Foster. Which means that in around nine months there will be a new Ladybug. My boy started kicking right after I put the paper into the recycling bin, as if he knew. He would find her again, he is destined to… He hasn't even been born yet and I already worry about him, he's not going to have the same life as most children. He's going to be a hero. I should be proud, but I can't be. He's going to be putting himself in a lot of dangerous situations. I don't know what I would do if something happened to him…"_

Adrien felt his heart become heavy in his chest after reading those words. He felt an overwhelming ache wash over him, he felt empty inside. He broke down completely when he saw the next entry.

 _"April 7, 1999_

 _Adrien Agreste. Born at 6:11 in the morning he weighs eight pounds and four ounces. He is so beautiful, I'm still getting used to holding him. He's completely bald except for this blonde peach fuzz on his head. He hasn't opened his eyes yet, he's completely exhausted, we both are. He's so perfect, I can't believe he's here. He's so special, he's brilliant, he's everything that I've ever wanted. He's going to be a hero one day. I know that I shouldn't think about that now, I still have years to enjoy with him while he's still normal. I wonder how old he'll be when he gets his kwami. I hope that he'll be safe, that he'll be cautious when he's out on missions. I already love him so much, I never want to let him go."_

Adrien gripped the journal tightly, the pages wrinkling underneath his grasp. He didn't want to continue. He didn't want to read more. He didn't want to know more, but at the same time, he did. His mother wasn't planning on leaving when he was born, so why did she? Why did she walk out without giving his father so much as a goodbye? He felt tears begin to form in his eyes, he couldn't tell whether they were angry or sad. He blinked hard, forcing them back, he took a deep breath. He was about to close the book, when the next date caught his eye.

 _"October 2, 1999"_

That was the day Marinette was born. Curiosity took over him as his eyes were drawn back to the page, smeared with black ink and a mysterious brown fluid stain in the corner, it was probably coffee.

 _"I went to the hospital today. If I've done my math correctly, this is the day the new Ladybug will be born. I saw a little girl lying in a bassinette. She had a mop of black hair on her head, eyes wide open and looking around at the world curiously. Her name was written on the bassinette in large black letters. Marinette. That was a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. I watched her for a minute, so little and pure. Not knowing what her destiny would be, what she would become. She is going to grow up to be Ladybug. Then her parents took her from the cradle and held her, a lovely couple, I can tell that they love their daughter very much. I hate to think about what would happen if she didn't come home one day because she was out risking her life. I already worry for Adrien… I'm going to find a way to help them both."_

Ariana went to the hospital the day Marinette was born. She saw Marinette's parents holding her. She knew that Marinette was most likely not going to tell her parents about her secret double life. They wouldn't know to worry for their child's safety, so Ariana worried about their daughter for them. Maybe her intentions weren't bad… Just misguided.

 _"April 7, 2000_

 _It's my son's first birthday and I can't even enjoy it. I found out that Gabriel has a miraculous and he didn't tell me about it. I don't think that he's ever used it. At least, I hope that he's never used it. The more I think about it the more everything sort of clicks. He's been spending a lot of time away from home. He hasn't had dinner with me in nearly a month. Oh God, what has he been doing? I feel like I don't even know my own husband anymore."_

Adrien knew that she disappeared shortly after this. There was only one final entry after that. One that was written only two and a half years ago. One that was stained with teardrops, both old and dry, and new ones that were falling from Adrien's eyes.

 _"September 14, 2014_

 _Dear Adrien,_

 _Part of me hopes that this will find you somehow, and part of me prays that you'll never read these words. By now you've forgotten about me, but not a day has passed where I haven't thought about you. You're probably angry. Who am I kidding? If you're anything like me or your father then you're furious. I don't blame you. I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am. I know that what I've done is unforgivable, and I'll probably do even more unforgivable things. I've always had you in mind… The first time I saw you and Marinette in the newspaper, your first appearance as Chat Noir and Ladybug, I didn't know what to do. I was hoping that I could have had more time to figure out what I was doing… For the last fourteen years I've been researching Chat Noir and Ladybug. In the past they have done terrible, unspeakable, things. Maybe if you knew then you'd understand my resentment. I've also researched what happened the day I last saw Angela, the day she swore she was in 1940. I didn't show her a memory, I sent her back in time. I achieved time travel. I know it's complicated, and hard to explain how, but I did it. It's really exciting, but the machine isn't perfect. I've been spending a long time tweaking the machine, hopefully I can get it up and running soon… Until then I'll be looking out for you. I hope that when the time comes, you'll understand that everything that I do is to protect you. I hope that you understand that everything I do, everything that I've ever done, it's all been for you. I wasn't there for you all of your life. I wasn't sure how I was going to confront your father after I discovered his miraculous. Now I'm not sure how I'm going to confront you. I will always love you. Remember that._

 _Love,_

 _Mom"_

He was bawling at this point, hot salty tears fell gracefully down his cheek. His shoulders shook and shuddered with every tiny sob that escaped his mouth. He closed the journal and hugged it close to his chest. She wanted him to understand, but he didn't. She said that she loved him, that everything she had done was for him, and yet her intentions were only based on her own selfish desires. She only thought about how many lives were lost because of them, instead of how many lives that they saved. She never thought about what being Ladybug and Chat Noir meant to either of them. It was a chance to do something that very few people get to do, to do something for someone without asking for anything in return. To be someone that people looked up to, someone who inspired others to help the people around them too. That is what being a hero was about, and it was worth every risk they took.

A warm pair of arms wrapping themselves around him pulled him out of his thoughts. He hadn't realized that he woke her, but she didn't seem to mind. She didn't say anything, she just hugged him tightly and kissed the top of his blonde tresses. He wiped the tears from his eyes and turned to face her. She smiled, the moonlight streaming through the window gave her a luminescent glow. She looked like an angel. He knew that if he could let his guard down, show emotion around anyone, it would be her. He didn't have the words to describe what she meant to him, because there were no words that could describe her. She was simply undescribable, perfectly imperfect, and he loved her more than anything in the world.

"Are you alright?" She whispered, her hot breath tickling his ear.

"I'll be okay." He assured her. He wasn't sure if she believed him, and he didn't know if he believed himself either.

He placed the journal containing the secrets of his mother's life story down on her desk. As much as he didn't want to think about what he read about Ariana, he made the choice to tell Marinette. He told her about his mother, about the machine, about Angela, and she listened. She listened to him without judging him, she tried her best to help him. He trusted her with his life, with his secrets, with every little twisted thought in his brain. Adrien knew that she accepted him, both sides of him, just as he accepted both sides of her.

"I'd like to think about something else now." He told her, picking up one of the other notebooks, the one with their names written in cursive on the front.

"At least now we know who Angela is." Marinette looked over his shoulder as he flipped through the notebook.

"There are so many." Adrien marveled. "We lived during the French Revolution, Renaissance Italy, we helped assassinate Caesar, and- No!"

"What?" Marinette peered over his shoulder eagerly.

"We were pirates!" Adrien exclaimed excitedly, forming a hook with his finger and closing one of his eyes like an eyepatch. "Arr, matey!"

"No way!" Marinette laughed, her cheerful sound made Adrien's heart skip a beat. He smiled at her, just because she was happy, but all smiles immediately faded when Adrien turned to the last page.

 _"Unknown First Ladybug and Chat Noir (8000 BC-?)"_

"Damn, we're old." Marinette murmured.

"I wonder who they were." Adrien thought out loud.

"We could tell you." A familiar high pitched voice piped up.

Behind the two teenagers were their kwamis, floating effortlessly in the air just a few inches away from their faces. Tikki smiled, Plagg just looked completely exhausted. Adrien was surprised that Plagg hadn't asked for cheese yet. The tiny black kwami floated down to the notebook in Adrien's lap, carefully read the words written in black ink.

"Eight thousand BC, first Ladybug," Plagg read off of the page. "She got it wrong."

Tikki flew gracefully to her brother's side, head tilted as she reviewed the page.

"The information is semi-accurate." Tikki nodded. "But that wasn't the first Ladybug and Chat Noir."

"Who was it then?" Marinette asked.

"Us," Tikki explained. "We were born ten thousand years ago, in the year eight thousand BC."

"I didn't know that kwamis could be born." Adrien muttered, brow furrowed at this new information.

"Well, we weren't kwamis yet." Plagg continued. Tikki elbowed him hard in the chest and glared at him.

"What do you mean you weren't kwamis yet?" Marinette asked.

The twins looked at each other. Tikki looked as though she were ready to murder her brother for letting such an important thing slip like that. They hadn't told any Ladybug or Chat Noir this story before. About the life they had before miraculouses and magic. Tikki sighed, her face softened as she looked up at Marinette and Adrien, who had confused expressions on their faces.

"Should we tell them?" She finally broke the silence.

"It's been ten thousand years," Plagg replied. "I think it's time someone else knew the story."

The two kwamis floated up off of the notebook in Adrien's lap and settled themselves on Marinette's desk.

"A long time ago, just after the last ice age," Tikki started. "There were no miraculouses, or kwamis. Just three humans named Tikki, Plagg, and Falla."

* * *

 **This was supposed to be up yesterday but I had to write an essay and then I forgot. The next chapter is written, but not edited. It is currently more than 7,500 words.**

 **Fun fact! Three of the dates that I used are the birthdates of my older sisters.**

 **There are only two chapters left of this story. This is the longest thing that I've ever written, I'm proud of myself even if this does suck.**

 **Keep on reading!**


	19. Immortal

Immortal

 **This is that 8500 word chapter I was talking about. It's terrible. I kinda just started writing this and I didn't know how to stop so now you get to read something that is long, boring, awful, and confusing. I'm so sorry, I tried my best. I don't have a specific place for where these events occur so I'm just gonna say this takes place in Africa, probably Tanzania. I don't own this show.**

* * *

"Plagg! Be careful up there!" The young girl shouted to her brother.

She waded down below in the cold water, her long black hair clung to the sides of her face. She stared up at her brother, standing at the edge of the waterfall above her. It wasn't a very tall waterfall, probably only twenty feet up, but the rocks were slippery and if he took a wrong step and fell, she didn't like his odds of survival. The boy waved down at her, water rushing past his ankles. He had the same kinky black hair that she did, the same dark eyes and skin. He stood at the edge of the bluff, looking down at his sister and friend as they floated in the bright blue sea below.

"Do a backflip!" The second girl yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth like a megaphone.

"Don't encourage him, Falla!" The girl exclaimed, splashing her friend.

"Hey! Tikki!" Falla laughed, splashing the girl back.

The two girls laughed as a giant man-made wave washed over them. In the few seconds that they had been distracted, Plagg had cannonballed off of the rock and sunk down into the ocean like a rock. He resurfaced, taking in a large breath and shaking the water out of his puffy black hair. He smiled at the two girls, his teeth were a dull yellow and crooked. Falla and Tikki smirked at each other suspiciously before they both pounced on the young boy, pushing his head under the water. He was quite muscular and fought back with ease, shoving them off of him, the three of them screaming and laughing.

Eventually the sun started getting lower in the sky, meaning that it was nearly time to journey back to their tribe. The three friends lay on the long green grass beneath the tall trees, their long shadows obscuring the last of the sun's glow. Their leaves creating a canopy of green above their heads, like a large tent. The evening air was slowly growing colder, but the soft grass welcomed them like a warm hug. It would be criminal to leave just yet. The sky was turning bright orange and gold, the clouds were pink and purple. The colours danced in the sky as the sun slowly sank into the ocean, making the entire sea shimmer like diamonds.

"Where do you think the sun goes when the moon comes out?" Falla wondered aloud, she had always been the curious one of the bunch.

"Anywhere to get away from you." Plagg joked.

Falla threw a wad of grass at him, but the wind shifted and the blades of grass blew away. Plagg smirked at her, and she stuck her tongue out at him. Tikki lay on her stomach, twirling a blade of grass around her finger, smiling at her brother and her friend. She spied a tiny insect in the grass, vibrant red against the cool green. She allowed the tiny creature to crawl onto her finger, a red insect with six legs and black spots covering its back.

"What's that?" Falla asked, peering at the beetle on her friend's finger.

"It's a pretty thing." She replied. "Pretty like a lady."

"Not prettier than me of course." Falla joked.

The three friends laughed together, their joyful melody travelling up above the treetops, ringing out for all of the forest to hear. There had never been laughter so genuine and pure in all of history, a laughter free of responsibility or worry. And all three of them knew that it wasn't going to last forever.

"I can't believe that tonight's the night." Tikki chirped, tucking a purple wildflower into her hair, which was slowly drying and returning to its natural puffy state. She rolled onto her side and faced her brother. "You nervous?"

"A little." Plagg replied, tracing a circle in the dirt.

That was the night of the choosing ceremony. The night that the souls of their ancestors were to pick the next chief. Being the chief of a tribe was the highest honour that could be bestowed upon anyone, and there was a special perk that came with being chief. The ancestors bestowed special powers upon the chief, wondrous abilities only for the one who was worthy of them. Since it usually descended through families, it was only logical that Plagg would be chosen. He was the son of the last chief, a powerful man by the name of Wayzz. It was known that Wayzz was considered the greatest and wisest chief that their tribe had ever seen. Both the twins and Falla enjoyed hearing his tales of splendor and glory. He would show them little magic tricks when they were children, ones that they hoped to accomplish one day. Wayzz was sadly killed in a mysterious accident when the twins were young, nobody was quite sure what happened to him. Plagg was honoured that he was going to have the opportunity to uphold his father's legacy.

"With great power comes great responsibility." Falla chimed, lying on her back with her hands behind her head. "You won't be too busy for us will you?"

"Never," He replied. "My favourite girls come first."

Falla rolled onto her stomach, her face only a few inches away from Plagg's. They smiled at each other, their faces growing hot and red. Tikki smirked at them knowingly. Tikki had always noticed the way her brother looked at Falla, it was hard not to. He was always looking at her, stealing glances when he thought that no one was looking, trying so hard just to get close to her. He had been looking at her like that for years, but he never did anything about it. Tikki knew that Falla felt something for him in return, but she wasn't sure if Plagg knew. She really hoped that her brother would figure everything out soon. He was going to become the next chief, he needed someone like Falla to make sure that he didn't screw up his job. Falla was curious and often cheerful, but she was also very controlling at times. She always had some quirks, but Tikki loved her like a sister.

The stars were first beginning to make their appearance in the sky as the three friends made their journey down the long dirt trail. The sand and dirt squished in between their toes, the earth was soft beneath their skin. Some kind of animal howled in the distance, encouraging the teenagers to walk faster. None of them had anticipated staying out so late, the elders had warned them of the monsters in the jungle, the ones that preyed on wanderers. The jungle grew darker, colder, much more cruel and unforgiving. There wasn't much they could do other than continue on the path, but without a light to guide them it had become increasingly difficult. The wind began to whip at their backs, sending cold chills down their spines. They silently prayed to their ancestors that they weren't lost, that they would find their way home. That they wouldn't become like the wandering souls in the stories they had been told as children, doomed to walk the forest for eternity with no real purpose.

Eventually the trees parted, and the village came into view. Brown tents made out of animal hide and sticks sat in a circle with a small fire blazing in the centre. One of the elders was poking at the fire, a group of young children huddled around the flame, warming themselves in the frigid air. A man with a large nose and long braided hair covered by a headdress of feathers approached them with a stern look on his face. The three teenagers immediately froze in fear as the man stomped over to them. The took the twins by the arm and dragged them towards the fire pit where the rest of the tribe was slowly gathering. Falla followed a few steps behind, she didn't want to face the same wrath that the twins were about to face.

"You two are late." The man spoke sternly. "Your own ceremony, this isn't what I expect from a future chief."

"We're sorry, Jumbe." Plagg groaned.

"You're going to be." Jumbe raised his voice slightly. "Just because you're about to become chief doesn't mean you have all the power, I'm still going to be watching you."

At that moment a woman called the man over, he gave the twins one last strict look before marching away. Plagg rolled his eyes, and looked at his sister, Tikki shrugged in response.

"Adults." Falla murmured, tugging at the hem of her dress.

"Tell me about it," Tikki whispered. "Jumbe made me swear on my father's grave that I'd bring him back on time."

Falla let out a small chuckle, but it was quickly drowned out by chanting. The tribe elders were already starting to lead a ceremonious dance around the fire. The youngest members of the tribe clapped sticks together, trying to make as much noise as possible. An older woman placed a long lei around both of the twins, encircling them both in a circle of colourful wildflowers. A laurel made from reeds was then placed on both of their heads. When the chanting died, Jumbe stepped forward, standing on front of the twins. He was shorter than Plagg, but taller than Tikki.

"Tonight, the ancestors will pass their soul onto the next chief." Jumbe announced, all around them the tribe cheered. Tikki and Plagg beamed with excitement. Tikki looked over at Falla, who winked at her. "Plagg, son of Wayzz, We are honoured that- Wait, what?"

Both of the twins were taken aback by Jumbe's suddenly astonished tone of voice. All around the circle, murmurs and gasps filled the air. Then everything went silent, time stood still. The only noise that Tikki could hear was the crackling and popping of wood burning in the fire. Smoke clouded her face, causing her eyes to water. She raised her hand to her face, the wind bent to her will, immediately changing direction and sending the smoke floating in the opposite direction. She stared at her hand oddly, had she just done that? No, the wind had to have changed direction on it's own. She couldn't control the wind. The confused girl looked around at the faces of her tribe mates. She could not for the life of her figure out why everyone was staring at her so oddly, their eyes wide with shock. She looked at Falla, who had a horrified expression on her face, her jaw slack, her eyebrows raised. Then she turned to her brother, who was staring at her in awe.

"Plagg, what's going on?" She whispered.

Her brother didn't reply, his gaze only shifted from her face to something above her head. Curiously, she looked up and took in a sharp breath, her eyes became large. A shower of gold light circled her head like a halo, giving off the illusion that she was glowing, like a star in the night sky. It looked like there were lightning bugs dancing around her head, spinning and twirling to music that she couldn't hear. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. But how? This was supposed to be Plagg's moment. But instead, it was hers.

"Tikki, daughter of Wayzz," Jumbe corrected himself, kneeling down at the young girl's feet, the rest of the tribe slowly following. "We are honoured that you are our new chief."

Tikki, Falla, and Plagg were all too stunned to move. Tikki watched, mesmerized, as the gold light above her head shone brightly and showered her with a new gift. The light slowly vanished, and three items materialized from that light, the magical gifts bestowed upon her by her ancestors. One was a silver band to wear around her finger, the other was a pin in the shape of a butterfly, and the final gift was a pair of red earrings.

"The gifts of your ancestors," Jumbe continued. "Fortune and calamity, a balance between the two must be kept for you can never know one without the other. You are responsible for the metamorphosis of our tribe, the future is yours to shape."

She didn't speak, she couldn't speak. All around her, the tribe was clapping and cheering for her, it was almost overwhelming. She looked at Falla, who smiled at her friend proudly, then she looked at Plagg, who looked confused, sad, and also a little bit angry. Tikki didn't know what to do, should she apologize to him? But she didn't do anything wrong, she didn't ask the ancestors to choose her. This was a surprise for her too. Plagg removed his half of the lei and threw his laurel down on the ground, which unraveled and lost its shape when it hit the ground. Tikki watched as her brother retreated to his tent, looking crushed and dejected.

She decided not to bother him for the rest of the night. Once the ceremony had concluded she and Falla retired to their tent, which was barely big enough for two. Tikki wrapped herself in furs and blubber until she was warm, the weather had been unpredictable lately with the ice age slowly ending. She couldn't even sleep a wink that night because all that she could think about was her brother. He was supposed to be the chief, he was supposed to receive the powers of their ancestors. It was his only way to remember and honour their father and she had unintentionally robbed that from him. He was her brother, her twin. They shared a birthday, they shared memories, they might as well share a soul. They had always been together, she didn't want something so little to tear them apart. But this wasn't just some little thing, she was the chief now, she had responsibilities now. She had magic now. She tossed and turned in her furs, she couldn't get comfortable. She wished that she could talk to Plagg, but letting him cool down was the best choice. She would talk to him in the morning.

As it turned out, he wanted to speak with her too. In the first rays of daylight he was sitting outside of her tent. The sky was navy and purple, slowly turning a brilliant blue. The stars were slowly fading in the sky and the moon was bidding them farewell as the sun welcomed the new day. The morning air was cool, but warm enough that he didn't shiver while he stood outside of her tent. The grass beneath his feet was wet with dew, the moisture felt slimy between his toes. When she pulled back the curtain a cool wind blew past her face, the air felt nice on her skin, it felt free. She looked up and saw her brother towering over her, casting a long shadow as the sun shone just below the mountain top. She smiled at him, a tight lipped smile, she wasn't sure what she should say to him. He held out his arm, encouraging her to take it.

"Come," He finally broke the silence between them. He smiled at her kindly. "I would like to talk to you."

She accepted his arm, his skin was soft and sweaty. He had dark circles under his eyes, he was slouching more than he usually did. It was obvious that he hadn't gotten much sleep the previous night either. In the early morning glow they ventured into the jungle, travelling on the muddy path down the mountain to the white sand beach. The early morning tide was rolling in, the waves were lazily lapping against the rocky shore. The ocean was blue and seemed to stretch on forever, reaching the sky, but not stopping there. The twins wondered what was out there, the elders had always told them that it was the edge of the world, that nothing existed beyond the water. But neither of them believed that, there couldn't just be nothing, this couldn't be all that there was, there had to be something else, something more. Perhaps land just stretched on and on, never faltering, never ceasing, something that would keep on going forever. The twins sat on the shore, the sand was soft yet rough to the touch. The two of them sat for a few minutes, watching the waves as the rolled in and out of the bank, the sound was calming and the air smelt like salt. Tikki toyed with her gifts, twisting the ring around her finger, adjusting the pin on her chest, tugging on her earrings, anything to distract herself from the silence.

"I'm sorry that I ran off last night." Plagg finally said. Tikki looked at him, his eyes were filled with remorse. "I acted like a child, you were chosen and I-"  
"It should have been you," Tikki interrupted, Plagg's face immediately fell when the words tumbled out of her mouth. "You're the oldest, plus you're brutally honest with everyone, and you aren't afraid to speak your mind."

"But you have always been smarter," Plagg replied, grazing his fingers along her cheek. He smiled warmly at her. "You're so much stronger, you're independent, and everyone trusts you a lot more than they trust me."

Tikki wondered if he was lying to make her feel better, but there was a genuine look in his eyes that told him otherwise. She moved closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. She knew that being chief was important to Plagg. She looked down at her right hand, the silver ring gleamed in the early morning light.

"You've always been better than me at everything anyways." He sighed.

Tikki looked up at him, her brows furrowed, her eyes narrowed in confusion. He never down talked himself like that before, and it hurt her to hear him talk about himself like that.

"Don't say that." She told him, rubbing his upper back in a comforting circle.

"It's true," He retorted, turning his attention back to the ocean. "You've always been my lucky little sister. Now you have magic, and what do I have?"

"Me." Tikki told him, wrapping her arm around him. "You have me and Falla."

Plagg smiled at the mention of her name. He was quite fond of his friend, that fact was fairly well known. She was ,without a doubt, the most amazing girl in the tribe. Her hair was long and wild, and like her personality was impossible to tame. Her eyes were nearly black, like the endless night sky that held the moon and the stars. Falla was beyond what words could comprehend, but he feared that the girl only saw him as a friend. He was hoping that the title of chief would impress her a little, that she might start seeing him differently.

"I know that you love Falla," Tikki whispered happily as though she was reading his mind, a sweet smiled crossed her face. "I can tell by the way you look at her. And she looks at you in the same way, I've seen it."

"Really?" Plagg asked, his smile became so big, his eyes were filled with hope.

Tikki nodded, giving him another wide smile. She then took her brother's hand in hers, she carefully twisted the ring off of her finger and placed it in his palm. He looked at her, shocked and confused, eyes wide and brow raised. She forced him to close his palm, fingers clasped around the metal object.

"For luck." Tikki whispered.

"I can't." Plagg replied, he tried to hand the ring back to her, but she refused.

"Three gifts is a little much for one person." Tikki told him. "Balance of power, it's only fitting that I balance my power with the person who balances me out."

"Will the ring give me power?" He questioned, turning the silver object in his fingers.

"I don't know." Tikki admitted. "Maybe it only gives me power, still I hope that it helps you gain confidence."

She smiled at him one final time before she pushed herself up from the warm beach sand. She saw movement behind the trees, a familiar mop of curly black hair, she should have known that she would follow them here. She found Falla's eyes behind the line of trees and waved to her. The young girl ducked behind the trees, pretending as though she hadn't been spotted. Tikki looked over at Plagg, who was trying the ring on his finger. He didn't think that it would fit, Tikki's hand was much smaller than his, but the metal seemed to stretch and conform to his finger, it was the perfect size.

"Now might be the best time to talk to her." Tikki giddily smirked as she watched Falla making her way down the mountain.

Tikki slowly wandered away from where her brother stood. She began making her way along the shoreline, the water gently splashed against her ankles. The waves washed away her footprints as soon as she took a step, erasing any evidence that she was there. She was already forgotten. She watched the water flow back and forth on the beach and decided to try something. She stuck her hand out and envisioned the water freezing around her. She immediately felt cold as a cracking noise filled her ears, she looked down and noticed the water slowly turning to ice. She gasped and let go of the vision, and the water returned to normal. She looked down at her hand, had she just done that? Had Plagg and Falla seen? She turned back to see Falla approaching Plagg on the beach, her hands behind her back, both completely oblivious to what had just happened to the water. Tikki turned her attention back to the waves, contemplating whether she should try this newfound trick again, but decided against it as she continued her trek down the seashore.

Plagg watched his sister leave, her long poofy hair dancing lazily in the breeze. She walked with her head held high, with purpose. Now that she was chief, her walk would display her status. Plagg smirked at the thought, his little sister was their leader. He was annoyed with the thought at first, but now he was coming to terms with it. A rustle in the bushes snapped him back to reality, he turned his head and noticed Falla stumble out of the jungle, her hands behind her back. He eyed the girl curiously, she only smirked mischievously as she made her way over to the tall boy.

"What'cha got there?" He asked, trying his best to see behind her. Falla turned her entire body so that he wouldn't look.

"I found you a friend." She lilted. "Close your eyes."  
"Falla-" He started.

She put one of her fingers to his lip, silencing him. The tip of her finger was smooth against his chapped lips. She gave him a pleading look, one that she knew he couldn't resist. Plagg rolled his eyes before allowing his eyelids to flutter shut.

"Okay, open! Open!" She exclaimed less than a second later.

When Plagg opened his eyes he saw his friend, smiling like a fool, holding up some kind of black fuzzy thing. It wasn't that large, but it looked soft. It had pointed ears, four legs, and whiskers protruding out of the side of its face. It looked at Plagg with its large green eyes and tilted its head curiously, it's legs dangling in mid air. It made a soft noise that sounded almost like a growl. Falla shoved the fluffy thing closer to his face.

"Go on, touch it." She insisted.

Plagg instinctively took a step back.

"What is that thing?" He asked, the words came out louder than he meant them to.

"I call it cat," Falla replied happily. "Because it rhymes with fat."

Plagg snickered at his friend's comment as he slowly reached his hand out to touch the creature, the dark fur was soft beneath his fingertips. He slowly caressed the creature's head, feeling the warmth of its black fuzz. The creature made a low rumbling noise as Plagg pet it, which he took as a sign that the creature liked being pet. A small smile formed on Plagg's face.

"I thought that you might like him," Falla admitted. "You looked so sad yesterday, I wanted to help you feel better, so he's yours if you want him."  
Falla looked down bashfully, digging her toes into the warm sand. Plagg smiled at her and slowly took the cat from his friend's arms. He stroked the animal fondly and stole a glance at his friend, she was still staring down at the sand and smiling demurely. She noticed that he had been sad last night and brought him a cat just to make him feel happy. He returned her playful grin and bent down to hug her. Falla was at least a head shorter than him, but the way she carried herself made her seem taller. They had always been best friends, they grew up together. Maybe now they were ready to be more than that. Plagg let go of Falla and looked into her dark eyes. The only noise that came was from the waves, crashing and falling like a symphony for just the two of them.

"Falla, can I ask you something?" He anxiously rubbed the back of his neck.

Falla's face immediately turned bright red as her gaze returned to her feet. She was adorable when she was nervous. Her eyes slowly trailed up his legs and torso before stopping at something shining on his right hand. Her eyes narrowed in on the object, she slowly took his hand and glared at the metal band on his finger. She immediately forgot all about his question.

"Where did you get this?" She inquired, her voice slightly raised. "This is Tikki's."

"She gave it to me." Plagg replied, pulling his hand away from Falla.

The hurt expression on Falla's face immediately tore his heart in two. He looked down at the gleaming ring on his finger, it looked like it was glowing in the sunlight. Tikki gave it to him to be his strength, but in that moment he felt so weak. He looked at her apologetically, even if he didn't understand what was wrong.

"So, you'll have powers now too?" Her voice was heartbreakingly sad, she could barely look Plagg in the eyes.

"I don't-" Plagg started, but Falla didn't let him finish.

She took off running into the jungle, breathing heavily as she began the trek back up the mountain. She didn't stop when she heard Plagg call her name, she didn't stop when she heard footprints behind her, she didn't stop when the path ended. She jumped over rocks and logs, dodging trees and leaping over the crick. She was heaving, her lungs felt like rubber, her legs begged her to give in, but she didn't. She continued up the mountain, the dark, dense jungle soon opened, the peak was only a few meters up. She climbed the rocks, which were hot from the sun's glow, until she reached the peak. She stood up tall, observing the land that lay before her. On one side, there was crystal blue water, stretching to the edge of the universe. On the other, was the valley, where animals of all shapes and sizes roamed. It was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen. She just needed to take another step, she could leave, travel far away from the tribe, and Tikki, and Plagg. She stood on the peak, letting the wind kiss her face, her long hair blew in every direction. A tiny creature flew past her, elegantly floating along the wind. The creature had bright purple wings that looked like the petals of a buttercup flower. It was the prettiest thing that she had ever seen. It seemed to encourage her. Jump, take a leap of faith, be fearless, don't look back. The tiny purple creature began its descent down the mountain and into the valley, it hesitated for a moment, as if asking her if she was coming. Falla smiled, chasing the flying creature down the mountain and into the unknown.

Back on the beach Tikki ran to her brother, finding him sitting on the beach with a weird creature by his side, staring at the ring on his finger. She saw the regret in his eyes, something truly heartbreaking. He twirled the tiny piece of metal around his finger, and then he looked up at the ocean. The crystal blue waves seemed to be inviting him, to swim out as far as he could, to the edge of the earth, to whatever unknown land lay beyond the sea. He sighed and looked up at his sister.

"I saw Falla run off," Tikki explained, taking a seat beside Plagg. "Want to talk about it?"

Plagg shook his head and lay his head on his sister's shoulder. He twisted the silver band off of his finger and tried hand it back to her.

"I'm not taking this back." She told him, pushing his hand away. "It's for you. Falla will get used to it, I promise."

"Thanks." He replied, slipping the ring back onto his finger. Tikki watched as her brother scooped up the black creature that had been lying next to him. "I should go find her."

"Yeah," Tikki agreed, her eyes fixated on the animal clinging onto her brother. "What is that thing?"  
He scratched the fluffy creature behind its ear, which hummed happily and buried its face in Plagg's hand. Tikki hesitantly lifted her hand, grazing her fingers down the length of the creature's back. The animal's fur felt softer than feathers beneath her fingers, she felt the creature's stomach vibrate as it purred. She smiled, letting out a small chuckle.

"This is a cat," Plagg explained. "Falla named it."

"He's cute." Tikki replied, her smile never faltering.

Just then a tiny red bug fluttered past. The siblings watched as the flying bug circled around their heads and landed on the cat's head. The tiny red insect covered in tiny black spots stood out among the endless black fur of the cat. Plagg recognized the bug from yesterday, it was the same bug that Tikki had found in the grass.

"The pretty-like-a-lady bug likes him too." He chimed.

Just then, the cat leaped out of Plagg's grasp, landing on his feet gracefully and scampered off into the jungle. Plagg immediately panicked. What if Falla came back and realized that he lost the gift she'd given him? She might run off again. He didn't want to lose her as a friend, or whatever they were becoming. He took off after the little black cat, Tikki following close behind. The two of them ran, following the footprints that the cat had left on the dusty trail, their breathing was heavy and they were blistering in the sweltering heat. The jungle became denser and darker, the path ended, but the tracks kept going. The trek uphill was agonizingly long and endless, their hair was burning from absorbing the sun's light, that was a disadvantage to having dark hair. The cat was sitting patiently on the peak when the twins stumbled out of the jungle, the pretty-like-a-lady bug was still perched on its head. It was like they were waiting for the twins. Then the cat scampered off again, down the other side of the mountain. The twins hesitated, they had never travelled to the other side of the mountain before. It was terrifying and exciting at the same time. The twins smiled at each other, took hold of one another's hand, and charged after the cat down the side of the mountain. The cat lead them through the valley, the unexplored territory that was entirely new to them. It was the same ground beneath their feet, the same sky above their head, but it was all so different. Eventually they lost sight of the cat, of footprints, or any lead in general.

"Where do you think the cat went?" Plagg asked, observing their surroundings.

They were in a forest now, it was darker and cooler than it had been in the valley. The leaves were green, but also orange and red, like the forest was on fire. The new world looked just like the old world, but different.

"I'm going to try something." Tikki told him.

She closed her eyes, focusing all of her energy on the unused power that lay inside of her. She saw a large hut in the woods. She saw a purple insect with wings in the shape of buttercups flitter and float along the breeze towards the hut, she saw Falla following the insect. And she saw the little black cat, with the red insect perched on its head, sitting by the front door. Tikki opened her eyes and gasped. She had a location, but no way of finding it.

"Is everything alright?" Plagg asked, face filled with concern.

Tikki nodded, she put a finger to her earring and tried her best to hone in on its powers. The power of creation, the power to help others, it had to help her help Falla. She closed her eyes and focused on the earrings. A tingly feeling began to rush through her body, it tickled her to the point where she had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. A surge of energy coursed through her, a jolt of electricity ran to her fingertips. The wind whipped around her, sending her hair flying in all directions. She smiled, a look of happiness and bliss permanently glued to her face. She felt something materialize and fall into her hand. She slowly opened her eyes one at a time and stared blankly at the object in her grasp.

A stick? What was she going to do with a stick? She held up the stick, it was long and forked down the middle. Wait, she'd seen the elders use sticks like these during the drought, they helped find water. She smiled at Plagg, who looked at her as if she had just grown a second head.

"That was cool and all, but what are we supposed to do with a stick?" He inquired, his voice raised. He was confused and a little bit annoyed.

"Have faith, dear brother." She replied with a playful smirk.

She held up the stick by the fork, silently praying that she was doing this right. The stick quivered and shook in her hand, she let out a tiny gasp. It was working. She watched with wide eyes as the stick began to gradually turn and bend in her grasp. It was pointing to a muddy path obscured by logs and trees.

"That way." She rejoiced, taking off down the pathway.

Plagg reluctantly followed her, questioning both her sanity and his. Tikki's grin never left her face, seemed to be enjoying herself. Discovering powers and abilities, using them for the first time, it was exhilarating. The twins dodged rocks and climbed over logs, their feet were hurting and blistering, their skin burned from the sun's heat. The trees loomed over them honestly, the leaves rustled quietly in the wind as though they were whispering to one another. The path soon opened up, widening and stretching along the forest floor. Colourful flowers grew all around, vibrant reds and purples, bright blues and pinks. Moss grew on the trees and logs, like a warm green bed. A large white and blue bird sat on a branch, cawing and chirping, as if giving the twins a warning.

And there, sitting in the middle of the muddy path, was a tent. It was much larger than any of the tents in their tribe, which were only big enough for sleeping. This tent could probably fit half of their tribe. Who lived here? Were they alone in this forest? Was there another tribe nearby? Tikki and Plagg hesitantly approached the tent, their footsteps soft as if they were afraid to make noise. A makeshift door, a flap made out of animal hide, came alive with movement, causing the twins to freeze in place. Someone, or something, was inside of that hut, and it knew that they were there.

A tiny head of black fur poked out from behind the curtain, and Plagg sighed in relief. It was just the cat, the red insect was still attached to its head. Plagg knelt down to pet the cat, but the creature retreated back into the tent. Plagg looked at the door, then at his sister, contemplating whether or not to follow the animal.

"He wants us to follow him." Tikki's voice quaked a little, as if she were anxious about what might lie behind the curtain.

Still, she stepped forward. She took a deep, calming, breath and felt the fabric separating her from the unknown. The hide was smooth and soft, the fur was short and tan, she wondered what sort of animal it came from and whether or not it put up a fight. She held the curtain for a moment, imagining what might be on the other side. She couldn't see much of anything, her vision before wasn't very strong. But then she saw Falla's face, the vision of her following a purple insect into the hut. She immediately threw back the curtain, revealing a dark room inside, a shadowy figure sat cross legged on the floor, staring at the wall. The black cat scampered into the sitting figure's lap. They pet the animal softly, the creature letting out little noises of enjoyment. The figure looked up, squinting at the sudden transition into light. Then she smiled at the two familiar faces standing in the doorway. It was Falla, looking up at them with the purple insect sitting patiently on top of her head.

"Hello," She lilted. "We were just talking about you."

Tikki looked around the hut, expecting to see another shadowy figure, but she didn't. There was only a large, bare, room shrouded in darkness. There wasn't anyone else there, but Falla spoke as if there was.

"We?" Plagg croaked, sounding concerned and absolutely terrified at the same time.

"Of course," Falla replied nonchalantly, smiling as if she didn't have a care in the world. "Saaxir wanted to know which tribe I came from."

"Saaxir?" Tikki choked, she tried her best not to sound petrified.

Falla nodded, pointing at the air in front of her. Tikki and Plagg looked, but they still saw nothing. Then she sat up straight and concentrated on nothing in particular, but she nodded her head as if someone had spoken to her. Then she turned to Tikki and Plagg, as if waiting for them to reply.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." Tikki piped up nervously, too afraid to tell her friend that there was no one else there.

Something was wrong, her friend was sick. It wasn't normal to hear voices or talk to air. They had to get Falla back to the tribe, they could fix her there.

"Maybe we should go home." Plagg interjected, grabbing Tikki by the arm.

"But we just go here." Falla giggled.

She paused and looked at the air again, then she burst out laughing for some unknown reason.

"Saaxir wants you to sit," Falla stood up and took her two friends by the hand, dragging them to where she had been sitting. The twins had identical expressions of terror. "You have to take your jewelry off, Saaxir doesn't like our magic."

Tikki broke away from her friend's grasp, prepared to walk out of the hut and go back to the tribe. Plagg grabbed her arm before she could leave.

"Humour her," He whispered, a flash of worry in his dark eyes. "Please."

"If I take my earrings and broach off then I can't use magic," Tikki whispered back harshly. "If something happens then I can't protect anyone."

"But it's Falla." Plagg pleaded, twisting the ring off of his finger.

There was an urgency in his voice, something that was desperate just to be near that girl. Just to help her. The look in his eyes, there was so much hurt. She saw the way he wanted to protect her, make sure that she was alright. Tikki wondered if he blamed himself, even if this was no where near his fault.

"Fine." She grumbled, giving in and sitting on the cold floor.

She took off the broach first, the silver four-point pin that looked oddly enough like the insect resting on her best friend's head. She placed the silver pin down in front of her, her fingers lingered on the jewel just a second too long. Then she removed the earrings one at a time, the red and black spots reminded her of the tiny red bug that sat on the black cat's head. She looked up at Falla who stared at the twins with wide eyes and an uncontrollable grin. She looked happy just to be with them.

"Thank you." Falla whispered, her voice was ominous.

Falla reached over and took the broach, turning it over in her hand. The tiny purple insect flew off of her head, circling around the teenagers before settling down on top of the broach. The black cat bolted from Falla to Plagg and curled up in the boy's lap. He smiled and stroked the animal affectionately, he seemed to be at ease with the situation. Tikki watched as the red and black bug flew off of the cat's head and landed on her arm. She eyed the bug curiously as it crawled from her elbow to her fingertips. She wondered if she should take her earrings back, she had a bad feeling about all of this.

Falla was concentrating on the air again, giggling and chuckling as if someone had told her a joke. Tikki felt a cold wind travel down her spine, like a cold hand caressing her hair. She looked behind her and immediately wished that she hadn't. Two black eyes stared back at her, a hunched back woman with white hair that looked like straw, her bony fingers on Tikki's back. She jumped, nearly crushing the tiny red bug in the process.

"Hello." The old woman croaked.

"H-hi." Tikki stuttered.

Tikki looked over at Falla, who was still smiling as if all of this was normal. Then she looked at Plagg, he looked confused and positively terrified. Then she looked into those beady eyes again, she could see nothing within them, no soul, no nothing. A wicked grin crossed the woman's face. she had only a handful of teeth, and the ones that she had were rotten and crooked. Tikki grimaced, she had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming.

"Tikki? Who are you talking to?" Plagg sounded horrified.

Tikki's eyes fell on her brother's. His eyes were wide, his mouth agape. He couldn't see what she saw. All he saw was his sister, terrified, and talking to the air in front of her face. He looked at Falla, who was still smiling joyfully as though she were the queen. He glared daggers at her. He had never looked at this girl and seen anything less than perfect until that moment. Whatever was happening to Tikki, Falla was causing it.

"Why can't he see you?" Tikki's voice trembled as the words left her mouth.

"Chosen," The woman wheezed, her voice low and grumbling. "You look just like your father."

Chosen, this old crone had referred to her as chosen. Tikki wiggled and shook her entire body, fidgeting and hoping to worm her way out of the woman's grasp. Her father, why had the woman mentioned her father? Why could she and Falla see this woman but Plagg could not?

"You don't know my father." Tikki whispered, praying that Plagg couldn't hear her words, this was too much to explain to him.

"He came here once, long ago after a long day of travelling." The crone replied. "He told me to tell you that turtles are the wisest among us."

"That," Tikki was gasping at this point as an unknown searing pain began to course through her entire body, igniting in her veins and setting her body on fire. "Doesn't make any sense."

"It will, my child." Saaxir smirked demonically.

Tikki watched as the red insect climbed from her hand up her arm and past her shoulder until she couldn't see it any longer. She panicked, she could still feel the tiny little legs tickling her chin as the insect made its journey up her face. It settled on her forehead, right above the hair on the bridge of her nose. The woman held her face with one hand, and took the earrings in the other. Tikki tried her best to wiggle out of the woman's grasp, she was strong for an old hag.

"Falla!" She yelled, voice filled with overwhelming panic. "What's going on?"

Tikki couldn't see, but Falla only blinked, as if the question hadn't phased her. Plagg tried to reach out to his sister, but an electric shock sent him back. He still couldn't see what was going on. He grabbed Falla by the shoulders, jerking the young girl violently. His face was filled with rage.

"What are you doing to her?" Plagg screamed, tears beginning to fill his eyes.

Falla turned her head calmly, a blank expression on her face, almost as though she didn't recognize him. Then her smile returned, twisted into something demonic. The sweet girl that he knew wasn't there, this was only her shell. The rest of her was dead.

"Tikki never should have given you power." Falla whispered, her voice was raspy, as if she had become hoarse. He had never heard her talk like that, it was terrifying. "Don't worry, I won't share. Saaxir promised."

"Who is Saaxir?" Plagg yelled, livid and completely terrified. "What does she see?"

Before he knew what was happening, he was on the ground. The grass tickled his ears, sweat dripped down his forehead, tears formed in his eyes. He opened his eyes to see Falla sitting on top of him, smirking devilishly, he could only stare at the gap between the girl's teeth. In one hand she held the ring, the bringer of destruction and chaos, and in the other she held his chin. The black cat sat beside him, licking his cheek tenderly, as if to sooth him. From his position on the ground, he looked towards his sister. Tikki was screaming and crying, the little red bug on her head seemed to be glowing. She felt herself slowly slipping away, finding comfort in the little red bug's glow. She was being absorbed.

"What's happening?" Plagg was close to tears, the girl he once fancied staring at him blankly, as though she didn't know who he was.

"We can all have magic now," Falla's voice sounded monstrous, as if the sound didn't belong to her. "Forever, and ever. You can be with me forever now, isn't that what you wanted?"

Plagg watched helplessly, writhing underneath the girl he once called his friend, had once felt so strongly for that he'd move mountains for her. He looked at her and no longer saw the girl he grew up with. He looked into her eyes and no longer saw the universe, he didn't see the infinite cosmos that stretched into mystery. He didn't feel the nervousness in his stomach whenever he looked at her, he didn't feel warm or fuzzy anymore. Instead he felt angry, enraged, an intense pain filled his chest, but it wasn't physical. It was an intense aching of agonizing longing and loss. This wasn't Falla. Falla would never do this. He shut his eyes and tried to think about her warm smile, the way her hair felt when he ran his fingers through it, he thought about the curve of her body, every freckle on her face. That girl and the girl pinning him down were not the same person, they would never be the same person ever again.

"I did." He whispered, his voice nearly gone, completely heartbroken.

How sad and fitting that anguish, misery, and torment be the last emotions he would feel.

Tikki's intense screaming broke him out of his thoughts. He looked at his sister one final time, screeching and crying, unable to open her eyes because she was in such intense pain. He tried one last time to push Falla off of him, but all of his strength had disappeared. Falla gave him a smile, but it wasn't friendly. She could do whatever she wanted to him, kill him, beat him, it didn't matter. But she was hurting his sister, and that was something he couldn't bare. He tried to use his strength to push Falla off of him, but the soothing sensation of the little cat licking his face was so nice. He could relax for a moment, just melt away.

In a flash of pink and black lights, the twins were gone. The black cat and the little red bug were gone too. In their place lay two tiny creatures, one resembled the black cat, the other resembled the little red bug. Saaxir scooped them up in her wrinkly hands, taking the earrings and the ring with them. Falla's smile faded, twisting into shock. Everything that had just transpired suddenly crashing into her, like waves in the middle of the sea, carrying her away, drowning her. Her black eyes widened, her hands flew to her mouth as she stifled a large gasp. That lady, she did something to them. She had did something to her. She had let this old woman do something to her, willingly. It was like she was aware of her actions, but she couldn't control herself. Oh God, what had she done? The old woman turned to the young girl, holding the four point purple pin threateningly in her hand, smiling evilly. Falla immediately felt a surge of fear hit her, her breath caught in her throat, she crawled backwards, trying to get away from the woman. She immediately felt her body freeze, paralyzing her. She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe. Falla felt the flying purple insect begin to hum and vibrate on her head. It felt so good, so comforting, so welcoming. She could just relax and-

No.

She looked up at the older woman, hovering over Falla's head with a menacing smile on her face.

No.

"You- What have you- What have I-" Falla's last words as a human and she could only sputter, unable to form coherent sentences.

She felt her body give in, she felt the insect absorb her in a warm purple glow. She was terrified, the reality of what she had done suddenly overpowering her thoughts. She began to breathe heavily, hand on her chest, tears filling her eyes. She killed her friends, robbed them of their lives at the age of eighteen. Tikki, oh God Tikki. And Plagg. His face appeared in her mind, his smile was so warm and genuine. His arms as he hugged her, comforting, warm, and safe. His dark eyes so filled with love towards her, soon contorted into hate. And she never got to tell him about how she really felt. She knew that there was no redemption for what she had done, no atonement. Her suffering started the day she died, and she would suffer for all of eternity.

* * *

 **Because I realize this is fucking confusing:**

 **-Wayzz (Master Fu kwami) is Tikki and Plagg's biological father, he was a human and chief of their tribe and he had the gifts of knowledge and longevity. He found the same hut in the woods, decided to go inside, and fell victim to the witch who intended on turning him into her servant for all of eternity.**

 **-Falla fell victim to the magic that would become her own (she was akumatized before it was cool.) It's kind of her karma...**

 **-Only chosens and akuma victims can see Saaxir, which is why Plagg couldn't see her.**

 **-Tikki got three gifts because her father knew that she would share.**

 **-Ariana didn't know about Wayzz, which is why she didn't kidnap Master Fu.**

 **If you are confused about anything else feel free to tell me and I will do my best to clarify.**

 **Fun fact! Saaxir is the Somali word for wizard and Jumbe is a Swahili word meaning post. I also based Tikki and Plagg's relationship after mine with my own twin.**

 **I hope that you enjoyed this very awkward and confusing chapter. The next one is the last one, sadly. It still needs to be edited, currently it's worse than this chapter... Hopefully I can make it better.**

 **If chapters are late it's because of essays and exam season approaching quickly, so I have to study. It's been really stressful and my older sisters are on my ass 24/7 about getting into a good university (that's three years away but w/e.) I also have to get a job this summer to start saving up for said tuition because school is fucking expensive. Sorry for the mini rant.**

 **See you on the flip side.**


	20. Forever

Forever

 **This is the final chapter of this story :( It's mainly just closure stuff and I'm not 100% sure how I feel about it. I'm not exactly happy with this chapter, heck, I haven't really been happy with the last four chapters. But hey, an ending is better than no ending. I don't own MLB.**

* * *

Marinette and Adrien didn't remember falling asleep. Shortly after Tikki and Plagg's tale of magic and loss they had found themselves back on Marinette's bed, curled up together, legs and arms tangled into one another. It was still rather early the morning, the golden rays of light creeping in through the bedroom window and flooding the room in their warm glow, that Adrien's brilliant green eyes fluttered open. Marinette was still sound asleep next to him, her tangled ebony hair fell ungracefully around her face. He smirked and carefully brushed the loose strands behind her ears, revealing the line of freckles on her cheeks. He craned his neck and carefully placed tiny kisses on every single one of her freckles. He felt the young girl stir beneath him, her baby blue eyes opening ever so slightly. She groaned at the rude (well- not really rude) awakening. But Adrien didn't stop showering her cheeks in delicate kisses. She smirked at him as his hands ghosted down her sides, stopping at her waist. He wrapped his arms around her middle and pulled her closer to him, their chests connected, she could feel his heart beat against her's. He continued to kiss her senselessly, causing tiny giggles to emit from the blue eyed girl's pink lips. Her laugh sounded like the ringing of bells, not many people sounded attractive when they laughed, but Marinette was an exception. Adrien loved that laugh, and he loved her.

"Well that's a nice way to wake up." She whispered, her voice was quiet and intimate, a secret for just the two of them.

He leaned down to brush his lips against hers. She felt her heart rate quickly increase. She was laying in her bed and she was kissing Adrien Agreste. She would be lying if she said that she never had this fantasy, although in their fantasies they didn't have clothes on. Kissing him wasn't like anything that she had ever imagined before. It was so much better. His lips were soft against hers and each touch filled her with tiny little butterflies. His lips were sweet and his scent was unbelievably intoxicating. It didn't matter if he was Adrien or Chat Noir, he always made her feel as though she were walking on air. He made her feel like she was the most precious, special, important girl in the world, and to him that's exactly what she was. She just hoped that she could be everything he wanted and more.

"You are so beautiful in the morning." Adrien breathed when he pulled away, smiling at her. His eyes travelled across her face, as though he were memorizing every aspect of her being.

"Shut up." Marinette groaned, her face was hot and bright crimson.

They lay next to each other for a moment, foreheads pressed together, never breaking eye contact. Giant smiles were plastered onto both of their faces, which were completely covered in a bright red blush. They loved each other, more than anything else in the world. After all that happened in the last week, they were just glad to have this moment, to be able to look at each other in this way. That neither of them were injured or in any physical pain. Adrien tucked a loose strand of black hair back into its place. His eyes never left hers, as though he were afraid she would vanish into thin air. He finally broke the silence between them.

"I want to stay like this all day." He whispered.

Marinette immediately turned bright red, she giggled anxiously. Gosh, he loved that laugh, he loved it when she smiled. She was radiant and pure when she was happy, that smile made him feel whole. He didn't feel empty, he didn't feel broken. All of this shit with his mom and his father didn't matter, as long as he had could see that smile every day. His hands moved to cup her cheek, he leaned in closer so that their noses were touching.

"Adrien." She chuckled, feeling completely flustered.

"Please?" Adrien begged, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

She wasn't going to lie, she wanted to stay like this too. They didn't even need to kiss or do anything, they could just cuddle and talk if they wanted to. Being in his strong embrace just felt so good, so right. Her heart was thumping in her chest so loudly that she wondered if he could hear it too. She fought the urge to give in, to kiss him again and again until night fell. But she knew that they couldn't, no matter how much they both wanted to.

"We can't stay in bed all day." She told him.

"Fine," He rolled his eyes. "Then go out with me."

"Cheesy doofus," Marinette teased him, rubbing her nose against his. He gave her his cheshire cat-like smile, and she began to melt all over again. "I'll think about it."

Adrien's smile had never been bigger in his whole life. Marinette smirked too, but her smile quickly faltered when she met his eyes. She saw something behind the usual sparkle, something that worried her, something that he wasn't telling her about.

"Is something wrong?" Adrien's voice sounded concerned and heartfelt, he cupped her cheek in his hand. "We don't have to go out today if you're still shaken up, it's going to take a long time to get over what happened. Or if it's whatever we are now, we don't have to put a label on our relationship if you don't want to, or-"

He was rambling. Marinette quickly placed a kiss on his lips to shut him up. It was the best answer that she could have given him. One kiss turned into two, then three. The hot bubbly feeling filled her stomach once again, the feeling of being on fire without burning, the feeling of flying without falling. The feeling of being completely alive, of breathing, of existing. She pulled away and looked at him again, he chuckled and shook his head, his unkempt blonde locks swaying with every motion. She just wanted to run her fingers through that beautiful mop of gold hair.

"Of course I want to go out with you," She admitted. "And whatever we are now, I'm happy with it."

He smiled at her, but when he leaned in to kiss her again, she moved away.

"Are you alright?" She finally asked.

"I'll be o-" He started, but Marinette interrupted him.

"I understand if you don't want to talk about her," Marinette stated, her voice cautious as though she were afraid to offend him. "Or about him, or what happened, and whatever comes next now that Hawkmoth won't be around anymore. Just know that when you're ready to talk, I'll be here to listen."

She saw right through him. He turned away from her, sitting cross legged on her comforter. He hung his head and screwed his eyes shut, he didn't want to cry again. She knew that there were details that he had left out about what happened between him and his mother, and he knew that it was bad to keep such things bottled up. He pressed his lips together tightly. He wasn't sure that he was ready to talk about it just yet, and she respected that. She always respected him. He turned his head to look at her again. There was so much concern, so much love on the young girl's face. He tried his best to smile for her, tried to repress any emotion just like he always had around his family and friends. But there was no need to, not around her.

"I want to forget about everything, even if it's just for today." He admitted. "I want to spend the day with you."

Marinette gave him a small, understanding nod. She was still worried about him, but maybe a day to relax was what the both of them really needed. She hugged Adrien tightly, his head fit perfectly into the crook of her neck. She was prepared to drift off right there in his arms when a buzzing noise forced her into reality. Her cell phone.

The blue eyed girl picked up the device that had been lying on her nightstand, hearing a very familiar voice on the other end.

"Hello?" The voice called.

"Alya?" Marinette smiled. It was so good to hear her best friend's voice again. Especially after a long week of hell.

"Where have you been, girl?" Alya was practically yelling at this point, being the mom friend that she was. "Your parents said you went to London, why didn't you say anything?"

"I'll explain later," Marinette replied, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I'll meet you in the park in an hour?"

"Alright, see you soon." Alya responded.

"See you!" Marinette smiled before the call ended.

Marinette lay her phone face down on her nightstand and collapsed back onto her bed. She wanted to sink into the welcoming embrace of the sheets, which were comfortable, soft, and smelled of lavender detergent. She felt safe, warm, and comfortable, extremely glad that she was sleeping on a real mattress instead of the floor. The temptation to remain in bed all day slowly crept back into her mind. And she knew that Adrien was still thinking about it too. But they still had one very important thing that they needed to take care of. She pulled the pink duvet off of her body and slipped out of her bed.

"One last thing." She whispered, fishing through the box where she had stored with her sewing supplies and pulling out the butterfly miraculous.

"What do you want to do with it?" Adrien asked, standing up from the young girl's bed.

Marinette looked over at the tiny makeshift bed beside hers, inside were their slumbering kwamis. She hated to wake them, but she knew that they would ultimately want to decide the fate of their best friend. Tikki was a morning person, luckily enough. Plagg however, was something else. Marinette carefully nudged the two kwamis awake with the tip of her finger. Plagg groaned and immediately gave her a look that was so intense that it could only be described as murder.

"You better be waking me up to feed me." Plagg groaned in annoyance.

Adrien gave Marinette a look, as if to say 'you shouldn't have done that.' Marinette simply rolled her eyes at him.

"I need your opinion as to what we should do with this." Marinette explained, the pin resting in her hand.

Plagg glared at the pin in disgust.

"Throw it out." Plagg simply replied.

"Plagg!" Tikki exclaimed, slapping her brother on the arm. He winced, glaring at her as he rubbed the spot that was now burning with pain.

"You can't seriously care that little about her." Tikki pleaded.

Plagg looked down. He was thinking about her again. He hadn't seen her in over a hundred years, maybe it was time to forgive her. Tikki obviously had. But then again, Tikki was special. She could forgive, she could forget, she could even attempt to have a friendship with her again. She was his lucky little sister. He didn't understand why he couldn't forgive Falla. Maybe it was because he trusted her once, maybe because he could still hear Tikki screaming as she died, or maybe it was simply because he loved her.

"Look, you and I both know it would be better if she just disappeared." Plagg said the words more harshly than he intended to, earning another painful slap from his sister and equally shocked expressions from Marinette and Adrien. "She's not connected to a soul, so we can't figure out who will find her next. What if whoever finds her is crazy? And I mean actually crazy. She might…"

Plagg trailed off after that. A memory long forgotten slowly crept into his mind, a memory of laughter. Real, pure, joyful, laughter. It filled his ears and overpowered his thoughts. It was a laugh that he could only describe as symphony, starting out quiet and elegant, and then building to a crashing wave of emotion. The most beautiful laugh that he had ever heard. It had been ten thousand years, and that laugh was still his favourite sound. As quickly as the memory comes, it fades into nothing. A memory, a phantom, always looming, always haunting.

"Fuck it." He finally whispered, there was obviously pain in his voice, but nobody seemed to notice. "Just do whatever you want with her."

The teenagers and Tikki watched as Plagg lumbered off somewhere, more than likely to the kitchen. Adrien had a rather surprised look on his face, he had never heard Plagg swear before. Nor had he seen his kwami look so sad. The blonde boy looked down at the pin in Marinette's palm. It had ruined so many more lives than just his father's, but destroying it wasn't an option. He knew that Plagg didn't want to destroy Falla either, not really.

"Sorry about him," Tikki apologized. "He gets like this whenever I mention her, he just needs time to cool off."

Tikki gracefully floated onto Marinette's palm, observing the butterfly shaped pin. She could feel Falla's presence lingering within the miraculous. It was comforting, knowing that she was alright, but it was also melancholy. Ten thousand years and they hadn't really spoken, so she had to settle for being close by. At least she knew that Falla could sense her too.

"How come she isn't connected to anyone?" Adrien asked hesitantly.

Tikki frowned. She wasn't entirely sure why Falla hadn't been attached to anyone while she and Plagg had, all she had were theories.

"It's complicated," Tikki finally replied. "We became kwamis because of the ancient voodoo magic that Saaxir used on us. Everything happened the way it was supposed to, our souls left our bodies, we took on the form of the creatures that had been chosen for us, the ladybug and the cat. We were supposed to become servants, similar to Falla, assist in the creation and destruction of the new world. I'm sure that you are aware by now what would happen if someone were to combine your miraculouses."

The two teens nodded, still listening intently. They now knew that to combine their powers meant that they would gain ultimate power, more than any human had ever seen. To combine their magic would create a God, but it wouldn't be a kind God. If someone were to seize their miraculouses, there would only be destruction and despair. Which was why it was a good thing that they had taken Falla away from Hawkmoth, if they had let Falla stay then there would be nothing but catastrophe.

"But something happened when we died." Tikki continued, her voice suddenly growing more cheerful. "I guess it was entirely my good luck, because the two of you were born into your first life the moment we died. Plagg and I fused ourselves to your souls, we became companions for all of eternity."

Marinette looked down at the pin again. She wondered what it was like for Falla. Constantly having to shift between masters, having no real constant. There had only been two souls to claim when she died, and she could get neither. Meaning that she was doomed to become a force of annihilation with whichever master beckoned her. She wondered how Gabriel Agreste managed to find her, whether he had ever considered using her before his wife disappeared. She knew that they had to make sure that Falla never fell into the wrong hands ever again.

"What should we do?" She asked.

"It's up to you," Tikki whispered, the ghost of a smile hidden on her face. "You can keep it somewhere safe, no one will be able to use Falla's powers ever again. At least, not in this life."

"Or destroy her." Marinette finished, her voice had a gloomy tint to it. She wasn't a fan of option two.

"Or," Tikki interjected. "You can give it to someone that you trust. As long as they never wear the pin Falla will stay inside of the miraculous."

Marinette bit her bottom lip and looked at Adrien. He shook his head. They couldn't give Falla to anyone, what if someone stole the pin? Or worse... There was no telling what might happen in the future and they needed to keep Paris safe.

"I'll make a box for it," Marinette chimed. "Just like the one that I keep my diary in, no one will be able to take it."

"Wise choice." Tikki agreed, hugging the side of her chosen's face.

Marinette smiled and placed the butterfly pin back into the box with her sewing supplies for the time being, she would go to the craft store later to buy all of the materials that she would need. She placed the box with the sewing supplies and the miraculous into the drawer of her desk. Her eyes travelled to the notebooks lying on her desk beside her computer. She picked up the three journals, her blue eyes travelling from the cursive letters on the cover to the blonde boy standing in front of her.

"What do you want to do with those notebooks?" She asked.

Adrien took the journal on top of the pile, the one with the names of all their past selves. He flipped to the first page, memorizing each name as they appeared on the white pages. His eyes caught something, something that made his heart sink. Something that made him feel depressed and a little bit anxious.

"Twenty-eight years." He mumbled.

Marinette raised her eyebrow at him. She wondered if she hadn't heard him right. Twenty-eight? What had he meant by that?

"Pardon?" Marinette put a hand lightly on his shoulder.

"We lived twice in twenty-eight years." Adrien explained, showing her the page. "Between 1913 and 1941, that means that we died at fourteen twice."

Marinette glanced down at the page. He was right. After the Ladybug who died on the Titanic, there were two more before Angela. According to the journal one was shot in New York City in the 1920s while trying to stop a robbery, the other was killed by Nazis at the Battle of France. The very thought of what such information implied was terrifying. The thought that she might not die of old age, that neither of them would. She had always known the risk that came with being Ladybug, that something terrible might happen to the both of them if they weren't careful. Sure, the whole reincarnation thing took away the fear of death. At least she knew that she'd come back, that she'd be with him. In every life, in every era, they would always be together.

"A long life is not a luxury for many Chat Noir and Ladybugs," Tikki explained, her head hung in sadness. She didn't like thinking about it, but it was the truth. "A lot of them died young, stopping wars or in terrible disasters. But no matter what, they rely on one another, they always have, ever since the first. Your souls are just as connected to each other as they are with your miraculouses."

Marinette and Adrien smiled at each other, their fingers lacing together, fitting perfectly together. They were connected, they were meant for each other. Across time and space, in a thousand lifetimes, in a thousand eras. They would always be together, their souls intertwined before time itself. They were, in every sense of the word, soulmates.

"I wouldn't worry about your lives being in danger," Tikki continued. Sitting on Marinette's shoulder. "You have the butterfly miraculous, so unless a new evil presents itself you will be alright. The both of you will live long, happy lives."

"What happens now that we've defeated Hawkmoth?" Adrien questioned, sitting on the edge of Marinette's chaise. He hadn't combed his hair yet, it was messy and looked more like Chat Noir's.

"That's up to you to decide." Tikki explained, floating in front of the young boy's face. "You can continue to keep Paris safe, even if there won't be any more akuma, or you can retire. Either way, you'll always have Plagg and I, and each other."

Neither of them had any thoughts about giving up being superheroes just yet. Not when there was still a city that needed saving. Marinette locked eyes with Adrien and smiled at him, a warm hearted smile filled with nothing but admiration for her partner in crime. They knew that they were thinking the exact same thing.

"We're still heroes." Adrien mused, his eyes never leaving Marinette's. "Forever."

Marinette's smile was spectacular, the way she smiled was something so pure, special, and brilliant. Her smile stayed there for a minute, it only faded when she broke his gaze. She looked down at the notebook labelled with their names. She cautiously picked it up, a small reminiscent smile appeared on her pink lips as she flipped through the pure white pages. The pages that told the tale of their lives. They were vikings, aristocrats, vigilantes, paupers, warriors. They had so many adventures, so many stories. She let the rest of the pages run out beneath her fingertips until the notebook closed in her hand.

"We're lucky." She whispered. She sat on the chaise next to Adrien and placed the three notebooks in her lap. Adrien looked at her curiously, she simply smiled at him. "Think about it. We walked the earth while it was still flat, we saw the pyramids go up, we saw entire civilizations torn down. We've witnessed the discovery of new worlds, explored far away places that no longer exist, seen things that are only myths now."

"The stuff of legend." He breathed in response, his eyes wide in amazement at the mere thought. "That's what we are."

Adrien hugged the girl around her waist and kissed the side of her face, her bubbly laughter pierced the air around them. She was the most amazing thing that he had ever seen. And she was his. They belonged to each other eternally.

His hand ran over the notebook, over the fancy letters that his mother had written many years ago. He pulled away from Marinette and took the notebooks into his arms.

"I think that I want to keep them." He said solemnly, looking down at his lap. "I just need to put them somewhere my father won't find them."

"They belong to you," Marinette whispered. "Just don't spend too much time thinking about them, okay?"

He nodded and smiled at her. He stood up from her pink chaise and pulled her up with him. He stood in front of her, smiling down at her. He wanted to do something for her. A thank you, for everything. For being his partner, for helping him stay sane while they were kidnapped, for trusting him with her secret.

"We should probably get ready to meet Alya." He told her, his smile never faltering.

"I look like a mess." Marinette complained.

"I think you're cute." Adrien cooed. Marinette gave him a playful yet stern look. "Okay! I should probably go home and change anyways. So, I'll go home, get ready, and I'll pick you up in an hour. Sound good?"

Marinette placed her hands on the boy's shoulders, stood on her toes, and kissed the boy delicately. Their mouths melted together, their lips tasted sweet. It was only a quick kiss, the two teenagers smiled at each other when they pulled away.

"Sounds perfect." She mumbled.

He gave her one last kiss, melting into her like butter. He wanted to enjoy every minute, every second, every moment, with this girl. He would love her in this life, and for all of eternity. Not many guys could say that about a girl so confidently, but he knew that he was meant to love her. He left her in her house, trying not to disturb her parents as he sneaked out. Plagg was in the kitchen, of course, eating leftover cheese bread that was starting to harden.

"Leaving already?" The kwami inquired, floating in front of his chosen's face.

"I'm coming back in an hour." Adrien replied, walking down the steps of her apartment.

It was still fairly early in the morning, yet the sun was high in the sky, shining brightly on the world below. The sky was brilliant blue, the clouds were floating lazily in the breeze as he made his way back to his home. The air was cool, but the sunshine was promising to warm up the early morning air, bathing the world in its glow. His eyes had seen that sun rise and fall thousands of times, his soul had seen it millions of times. He thought about his past, about evolution, science, and philosophy. He was there when the sun still revolved around the Earth, when the stars told stories of the future. He was there, he saw it. He wished that he could remember it now.

"What did you decide to do with her?" Plagg inquired as Adrien opened the large gate of his house.

"With Falla?" Adrien clarified as they walked up the driveway. Plagg nodded. "We're keeping her miraculous safe."

Plagg nodded as Adrien turned the key and opened the front door. As he passed the door to his father's office he couldn't help but pause. Was his father awake yet? Had he noticed that Falla was missing? Had he noticed that Adrien was missing? He should check on him, just to make sure that everything was alright. The blonde boy slowly poked his head through the door, only to see that his father was still slumped over on his desk. Whatever Ariana had given him was strong if he managed to sleep through the night. He slowly entered his father's office and closed the door behind him as quietly as he could. He walked towards the desk, his feet hardly making a sound on the hardwood floor as he did. He gently shook his father, who stirred in his slumber, letting out a low groan.

"Father?" Adrien called, continuing to shake his father's shoulder lightly. "Wake up."

Gabriel slowly opened one eye, then the other. He looked at his son curiously, as though something were wrong, but he couldn't quite figure out what.

"Adrien." Gabriel mumbled, still half asleep and obviously groggy. "What time is it?"

"Almost eleven." Adrien replied.

"Oh," Gabriel's voice sounded disoriented. "What is the date?"

"It's the fourteenth, father." Adrien told him.

"Right," Gabriel affirmed, he began flipping through an agenda on his desk before landing on the date. "It looks like there's nothing scheduled today, you're free to do whatever you like."

There was something about the way his father spoke, something that Adrien couldn't place. His voice wasn't as stern as it usually was. His face was still monotonous and he still seemed cold and distant, but there was something different. Something almost freeing.

"Well then," Adrien said, his fingers twitching anxiously at his side. "I'm going to be out today."

"Very well," Gabriel's voice reverted back to the stern, monotonous voice that Adrien knew so well. "You are dismissed."

Adrien smiled kindly at his father before exiting the room. While he closed the door behind him, he hadn't left right away. He stood by the door, one ear carefully pressed to the wood. He could hear his father inside, he heard what sounded like a drawer opening and closing.

"Falla?" He heard his father's voice from the other side of the door. "Falla?"

Adrien moved away from the door in that moment, resisting every urge he had to tell his father about what happened, but Adrien knew that it was best that his father didn't know certain things. Still, he felt bad. While his father hadn't dealt with his depression in the best of ways, he still didn't deserve the abandonment that he had received. But what was Adrien supposed to tell him? He couldn't mention Falla, or Ariana, or time travel. His father would think he was ludicrous, that he had gone bonkers. So, despite the guilt and remorse that burned in his chest, he did nothing. Instead, Adrien climbed the stairs to his bedroom and went about his morning routine as he usually did. He changed his clothes, combed his hair, and washed his face. He had just finished brushing his teeth when his kwami decided to engage in conversation.

"Do you think that I'm too hard on her?" Plagg asked.

Adrien looked down at his kwami in confusion.

"On Tikki?" Adrien clarified, although the look in Plagg's eyes made it obvious that he wasn't thinking about his sister.

"On Falla." Plagg whispered, sitting on the edge of the bathroom counter. "Now that you know our history, what do you think?"

"She killed you and your sister," Adrien thought out loud, fixing his hair in the mirror. "Well, not killed, but lured you into a witch's home where you were killed. Your feelings are valid."

"But Tikki forgave her," Plagg reminded him. "Tikki cares."

"I think that you care," Adrien told his kwami before exiting the bathroom. "You just don't show it."

Plagg didn't respond. He simply dug into the endless supply of camembert cheese that was stocked in Adrien's room and ate away any remaining feelings that he might have. Adrien felt badly for Plagg, he had spent his human years pining over his best friend, and even though she obviously felt something for him she was overcome with jealousy. Adrien had heard of girls stealing hearts, but Falla had literally ripped his out of his chest. And then she died, they all died. He wondered if Falla was remorseful, if she regretted what she had done while she was alive. He wondered if she wanted her friends back, if they would ever allow her to redeem herself. He also wondered if she wanted redemption in the first place. Plagg knew that Adrien was right. There are certain people in life that you don't forget. Ones that you never stop caring for, never stop loving. You never say goodbye to them, not really. They are part of you, and they hold a piece of your heart forever. Falla was once one of those people. He knew that he'd see Falla again. Might be in ten years, might be in ten thousand. Maybe then he would forgive her, talk to her. Maybe they could be as close as they had been in life.

An hour later, Adrien was back at Marinette's house to pick her up. She wasn't wearing anything too fancy, just black pants and a pink tee shirt, but she still looked magnificent. There were so many beautiful things about her, but her smile was the most perfect thing. She glowed with a special kind of radiance that was meant for only one single person in the world. He was so lucky that he got to experience her brilliance every day. And he was glad that even after everything that they had been through, after everything that they had done, she still had that smile. That smile would always make him smile too, even on his worst day.

Alya and Nino were sitting together on a park bench when they approached. The moment Alya saw them she jumped up and attacked them in a hug. Nino following close behind her.

"Nino, our children are home!" Alya exclaimed, refusing to release the two of them from her death grip.

"When did we become their children?" Adrien choked out. Marinette giggled.

When Alya finally released them from her grasp she looked between the two of them.

"So? London?" She inquired.

"That's not the most exciting thing that happened this week…" Marinette replied, sharing a knowing smirk with Adrien.

"What?" Nino raised an eyebrow at his friends.

Adrien leaned in closer to Marinette, his arm finding its place around her shoulder. Alya's eyes widened, she smiled widely, she looked like she was about to have an aneurysm.

"Shut the front door!" Alya yelled in excitement, lightly shoving her best friend. "When did this happen? Why didn't you call me immediately?"

"Surprise." Marinette chuckled.

Alya squealed loudly and threw her arms around her best friend, squeezing her so tightly that she cut off Marinette's air circulation. Marinette simply smiled and hugged Alya back. She wished that there were words to express how much she had missed her friend. She wished that she could tell Alya about all of the amazing, terrifying, things that she had experienced in the last few days, but she knew that she couldn't.

"It's about time." Nino high fived his best friend.

The rest of the day consisted of making up mundane lies to avoid suspicion. Swapping made up stories about excursions, adventures, and secret rendezvous in the city. They talked about dancing on a ship, leaving out the tiny detail that it hit an iceberg and sank. Holding hands while watching a fire, not letting on that it was an inferno that burned an entire city to ashes. Visiting a beautiful little city and climbing a mountain, forgetting to mention the volcanic eruption that followed. These were the white lies they told to avoid the truth. Obviously, they couldn't tell their friends the truth, they couldn't tell anyone the truth. The truth was complicated, frightening, scarring, and no one would be able to comprehend just how dire their situation had been. Nobody would understand that what brought them together wasn't romantic moonlit nights in the city, or exploring the ruins of ancient castles. Nobody would truly understand the connection that they had, reincarnation, fighting evil side by side across time and space, the literal binding of their souls. Nobody would understand any of it.

Maybe one day they will finally tell their friends and families about being Ladybug and Chat Noir. Especially now that they were really only using the suits to patrol and check up on Paris, making sure that everyone is out of harm's way. One day they would tell the story. The story about two souls bound together by fate and love. That somewhere in time there was a boy and a girl, clad in red and black. Standing on the edge of the world, sailing across the ocean, jumping across rooftops, touching the stars, saving the world from evil. Existing everywhere, in every era, in every millennium. Living and dying, rising and falling thousands upon thousands of times. Ten thousand years to live, and they would seize every moment, live each day. Keep fighting because that is what they did best. Going on and on for eternity. Until it was time to stop.

But for the time being they sat on a park bench, their voices mixing with the cheerful laughter of their best friends. A moment frozen in time. It would be over in the blink of an eye. They would be gone, drop like little mayflies. Then they'd come back full force. It didn't matter what might happen the next day, the next year, or the next life. The only thing that mattered was that moment, and each other.

Meanwhile, a tall blonde woman watched from the other side of the park as the four friends laughed and joked on the park bench. Around her neck she wore a necklace, one of a kind, made of pure gold. The woman coiled the chain around her finger as she watched the four teens. Not wanting to be seen, she turned away and made her way out of the park. She looked back for only a moment, and she smiled.

* * *

 **That's the end. I realize it isn't the best. I tried my best to fill every plot hole that I made, I might have created an even bigger one but whatever. I tried.**

 **The last four chapters could have been better, I could have tried harder. I had three essays to write along with this so, yeah. I've been very stressed.**

 **I hope that you have enjoyed The Ladybug Effect, I know that I sure enjoyed writing it. I'm currently writing a new fic which may or may not ever see the light of day, I don't know yet. It might not be up until exams are done (so late May-early June?) I will try my best to make it better than this.**

 **I would like to thank everyone for reading, favouriting, following, reviewing, etc. It means so much to have your support, you guys are literally the greatest readers ever. I hope that I put a smile on your faces because really that's all I want to do.**

 **I'd like to thank my sister for giving me the title of this fic (before it was literally just called "Time," and before that it was called "All Our Yesterdays.") and giving me support by reading this.**

 **And a no thanks to my brother, he did nothing.  
**

 **Once again, I hope that you enjoyed.**

 **Until next time, my loves!**


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